LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
The Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom, know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.
We acknowledge we are gathered on Treaty 1 territory and that Manitoba is located on the treaty territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline and Nehethowuk nations. We acknowledge Manitoba is located on the Homeland of the Red River Métis. We acknowledge northern Manitoba includes lands that were and are the ancestral lands of the Inuit. We respect the spirit and intent of treaties and treaty making and remain committed to working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the spirit of truth, reconciliation and collaboration.
Please be seated.
The Speaker: Introduction of bills? Committee reports?
Hon. Bernadette Smith (Minister of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness): I'm pleased to table the Supplement to the Estimates of Expenditure for the Housing, Addictions and Homelessness department for the fiscal year of '26‑27.
Miigwech, Honourable Speaker.
The Speaker: Further tabling of reports?
Hon. Ron Kostyshyn (Minister of Agriculture): Honourable Speaker, I'm pleased to table the Supplement to the Estimates of Expenditure for Manitoba Agriculture for the 'fisical' year of 2026 and '27.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
The Speaker: Members' statements–sorry–got ahead of myself.
Hon. Nahanni Fontaine (Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity): April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
During the week of March 23, three men, all former and current politicians, were charged with sexual assault: former PC MLA and minister, Scott Fielding; Winnipeg city councillor, Russ Wyatt–his second charge of sexual assault; and BC MLA, Hon Chan, who was charged with assault and strangulation.
One week. Three men. All in positions of power.
Scott Fielding and Russ Wyatt now join a list of former or current elected officials, like Cliff Graydon, Nic Curry, Stan Struthers and the current sitting member of Swan River, all entrusted with public office who chose to harm women.
Scott Fielding didn't just sit in Cabinet. He was the minister of Finance. He personally signed off on Manitoba's sexual harassment policy that we are all subject to. He knew exactly what he was doing. And he did it anyway.
We have seen it at every level. Predators and pedophiles like Jeffrey Epstein and Peter Nygård show the world exactly how networks of power operate to shield abusers while victims are ignored, silenced and blamed.
Women are enraged. We're exhausted.
So, again, as I've asked this Chamber many times, what are men going to do about male violence?
To be clear, the only response to my ministerial statement I expect from the PC caucus is denouncing their former colleague, Scott Fielding.
Finally, I want to close by reading directly from CBC–and I offer a trigger warning–and I quote: Fielding continuously purchased alcoholic beverages for her. At the end of the night, he escorted the room to–the woman to her hotel room and forced his way in. She pleaded with him to stop but he ignored her pleas. She attempted to crawl away, but he continued to be forceful and yell profanities at her. The woman suffered bite marks and scratches. End quote.
To the woman in this affidavit: Your voice is being heard in this Chamber today. I believe you. I stand with you. And we believe you and we stand with you.
Miigwech.
Mrs. Carrie Hiebert (Morden-Winkler): Today I rise to mark Sexual Assault Awareness Month, recognized each April here in Manitoba. It is a time for us to stand together to support survivors, to acknowledge the courage of those who care for them and to reaffirm our commitment to ending sexual violence in all its forms.
This year's theme, 25 Years Stronger: Looking Back, Moving Forward, honours the survivors and advocates who laid the foundation for change and challenges us to continue the work of prevention, healing and action.
For 25 years, Sexual Assault Awareness Month has united survivors, advocates and communities in a shared commitment to end sexual assault, abuse and harassment. Sexual assault is about power and control, not about choices of a person harmed. It is preventable, and yet statistics are deeply troubling. More than half of women and nearly one third of men report experiencing sexual violence in their lifetimes.
Rates are 'disportionately' high among Black, Indigenous and Hispanic women, people with intellectual disabilities and transgender individuals. Most survivors know the person who has harmed them and abuse does not always leave a visible injury.
Even today, 95 per cent of sexual assaults go unreported. For many survivors, the act of reporting can feel like an additional trauma and made worse by victim blaming and shaming that was far–for that, sorry–shaming–for far too long, considered culturally acceptable.
Let me state unequivocally, survivors are never to blame. Their clothing, their location or their choices are irrelevant. The responsibility lies slowly in the–solely in the perpetrator 100 per cent of the time.
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Awareness reduces stigma; education strengthens prevention; and open conversations create safer communities. Each of us has a role to play, and we must the start conversations about consent and respect and offer support to those of–in our lives who have been harmed. Every voice matters, and every action counts.
Manitoba has made meaningful progress, and we acknowledge the services provided by police, first responders and organizations, such as Toba Centre, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, Klinic, Ka Ni Kichik [phonetic], offer critical support for survivors. Yet there is more work to be done, especially in addressing online exploitation, domestic violence, stalking and coercive control.
Throughout this month and every month, we recommit ourselves to the protection of Manitobans, to supporting survivors in ways that foster their healing: emotional, spiritually and physically.
The Speaker: Member's time is expired.
Some Honourable Members: Leave.
The Speaker: Is there leave for the member to finish her statement? [Agreed]
Mrs. Hiebert: We need to create a society where no one feels alone in their journey because we, together, are stronger than the abuse. Today and every day, we honour the courage of survivors and the advocates who have fought tirelessly for 25 years. Together we move forward, looking back to learn and looking forward to act.
Thank you.
MLA Jennifer Chen (Fort Richmond): Honourable Speaker, today I rise to recognize a remarkable member of our Fort Richmond community, Mr. Brian Burchat, whose life reflects a deep and enduring commitment to public service and civic engagement.
Brian's story begins at RCAF Station Rivers in Manitoba before taking him across the world as part of a military family, living in Ontario, France and Germany. He eventually returned to Winnipeg, where he went on to study at the University of Manitoba, earning degrees in applied economics, political science and commerce.
For more than three decades, Brian served Canadians through his work with the Canada Revenue Agency. During that time, he also took on important leadership roles within the labour movement, advocating for fairness and representation through both the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada. His efforts came at a pivotal time, following a landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed the right of public servants to participate in political life, a right Brian embraced with dedication.
Beyond his professional work, Brian has remained deeply engaged in our democratic process, volunteering his time to support political engagement in Fort Richmond. He often shares the story of canvassing on the opposite side of the street from his late father, Edward Burchat, a member of the federal Liberal Party, a reflection of both his strong convictions and his respect for differing perspectives.
Alongside his public service, Brian also pursued a lifelong passion, building a second career that has seen him fly across North America as a major Canadian airline captain.
I invite all members to join me in recognizing Brian for a life marked by dedication to public service and a deep commitment to civic engagement.
And I'd like to add guests' names, Elizabeth Gauthier, Dan Gauthier and Sheldon Orvis, to Hansard.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): The Premier (Mr. Kinew) of Manitoba has taken a clear position when it comes to the new federal leader of the NDP party, Avi Lewis, his ideology and his radical ideas. And they stand in sharp contrast to New Democratic leaders across western Canada, Liberals and Conservatives across all of Canada.
NDP leaders like Naheed Nenshi in Alberta, Carla Beck in Saskatchewan and premier–NDP premier, David Eby in British Columbia have all distanced themselves from the new federal NDP leader, Avi Lewis. But for some reason, this Premier embraces him with open arms. While others have shown caution, this Premier has shown alignment to a man and his policies that will destroy Canada and Manitoba's economy.
This is not about personalities, Honourable Speaker. It is about economic direction and the future of this province. The ideas being advanced by this federal NDP leader, and now the Premier of Manitoba, are not theoretical; they are real and they have real consequences. They will kill jobs, they will destroy investments and they will make less–life less affordable.
Across western Canada, NDP leaders–and I don't often agree–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –with it, ever–have said the simple truth that they do not agree with Avi Lewis. But this Premier does not get it: you cannot sustain strong public services without a strong economy.
At a time when Manitobans are already paying more and waiting longer, this is not the time for recklessness, irresponsible or ideological economic decisions by this misguided Premier here in Manitoba. It's a time for responsible leadership. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: Manitobans need more jobs; they need more investments; and they need a government focused on real results, not ideology.
Leadership is about 'toi'–tough choices, and Manitobans deserve a government that chooses growth, opportunity, results and prosperity, the choice that we offer on this side of the House, Honourable Speaker.
Thank you. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
MLA Carla Compton (Tuxedo): Honourable Speaker, for the past week, Manitoba's Jewish community has come together to observe Passover, a sacred and deeply meaningful time of remembrance and tradition.
Pesach marks the Jewish people's journey from oppression to freedom, a story that has endured for generations and continues to speak to the strength of the human spirit in the face of hardship. Through prayer and ceremony, this holiday reflects both the physical perseverance and the spiritual renewal of the Jewish people following their exodus from Egypt.
Here in Manitoba, the Jewish community joins families and congregations around the world in observing the Seder and other Passover traditions. I was honoured to participate in one of these traditions as an official witness to the Minister of Innovation and New Technology (MLA Moroz), buying the chametz from the Congregation Etz Chayim, represented by Rabbi Kliel Rose. Once Passover concludes, he will sell it back with proceeds going to the Jewish Child and Family Service.
The observances of Passover reaffirm a faith, culture and heritage that have been carried forward with pride for centuries. They represent a living connection between a people, their beliefs and their history. Jewish Manitobans have shared this rich history with our province, helping to shape the strong and diverse multicultural fabric that we all value.
In these challenging times, Passover is a renewed commitment to social justice, equality and serves as a beacon of–pardon me–hope and appreciation for the communities that surround us.
In recognizing the many contributions of Manitoba's Jewish community and the role of these–that these traditions play in strengthening our civic tapestry, I ask all members in this House to join me in saying Chag Pesach Sameach [Happy Passover] in those observing–to those observing Passover during this special holiday.
Mrs. Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods): Honourable Speaker, I rise today to recognize Green Shirt Day, a day that reminds us of the incredible power of giving and lasting impact of organ donation.
This day was inspired by Logan Boulet, a young Humboldt Broncos player whose legacy continues to live across Canada. In the face of tragedy, Logan and his family made a selfless decision that sparked a national movement, encouraging thousands to register as organ donors.
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Today we are reminded that one donor can save up to eight lives and enhance many more through tissue donation. Behind every number is a person, a loved one waiting, hoping for a second chance at life. And as I know personally, my brother Don Cloet, at 39 years old, received a liver transplant. It gave him additional 11 years to live. It let him see his children grow up, get married, his–a few grandchildren, a few more snowmobile rides and to celebrate more anniversaries with his wife.
Here in Manitoba and across our country, too many people remain on transplant lists. For them, the decision to register as an organ donor is not abstract, it is life changing.
Green Shirt Day is also about starting conversations. It's about making your wishes known to your family, so that in a difficult moment, your decision can bring hope to others.
Becoming an organ donor is one of the most meaningful acts of generosity we can make. It is a way to leave a legacy of compassion and life. I'd also like to thank the former MLA, Brandon West, Reg Helwer, for all his work he did on organ donation.
Thank you.
The Speaker: Order, please.
Introduction of Guests
The Speaker: Just before moving on with member statements, there are some guests in the gallery that have to leave before we'll be finished.
We have seated in the public gallery from River East Collegiate, 16 grade 9 students under the direction of Anita Stepaniuk, and this group is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Rossmere (MLA Schmidt).
We welcome you all here today.
And there's also a second group of students seated in the public gallery. We have with us 73 students from Niverville High School under the direction of Robin Nemeth, and this group is located in the constituency of Springfield-Ritchot.
We welcome you all here today as well.
Hon. Jamie Moses (Minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation): Honourable Speaker, since its inauguration in 1909, the St. Vital Agricultural Society has been cultivating a love for horticulture, arts, gardening through exhibits, classes and fairs, helping Manitobans create beauty and connect with their environment.
Every year, their work culminates with the Agricultural Fair. This summer, on August 7 and 8, will mark the fair's 115th season. In its first year, the society set up under a circus tent mounted at the corner of St. Mary's and Fermor. Soon they would go on to build the barn that is now known as the St. Vital Curling Club, before moving to its current location at the St. Vital Centennial Arena.
Throughout the years, the fair has maintained warmth and heart. Competitors young and old continue to come together to share their skills in wood carving, gardening, flower arranging, planting, quilting and so much more. These great displays inspire our community.
The St. Vital Agricultural Society's story is built from hard work and dedication of leaders, organizers, of volunteers, of participants, of donors, of visitors for 115 years. So thank you to all of them.
And that's why it gives me great pleasure to recognize the distinct contribution of St. Vital Agricultural Society board. Their president, Pam McFarlane, and her team, including Enamul Hoq, Karen Irvine, Sheila Selluski, Deb Innes and Wendy Ralley, whose great leadership continue to encourage excellence and community in St. Vital and beyond.
So I invite my colleagues to join me in thanking the board members who are with us here today for their contributions, plus I encourage all Manitobans to join me at the fair this August.
Thank you, all.
Introduction of Guests
The Speaker: And prior to oral questions, I'd like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the loge to my right, where we have with us today Paul Wozney, Nova Scotia House of Assembly Member for Sackville-Cobequid. He is the official opposition critic for Labour, Education, Advanced Education and Public Service Commission.
And in the public gallery is his daughter, Lila.
On behalf of all honourable members, we welcome you here today.
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): Economic growth matters. It matters for jobs, for wages and for affordability. But growth doesn't happen by accident; it requires a clear choice to support investments, to develop our resources and to create opportunity. Instead, in Manitoba, we are seeing a government and a Premier move in the opposite direction.
Across western Canada, other NDP leaders are distancing themselves from the new leader of the federal NDP party, Avi Lewis, because they know his ideas will put jobs at risk.
Why is the Premier choosing to align himself with the ideas of the federal NDP leader, Avi Lewis, that are threatening Manitoba's jobs, families and economic prosperity?
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Honourable Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Avi Lewis as the new leader of Canada's NDP, the party that brought you universal health care–health care for everyone in the land that you don't need a credit card to access; just a health card.
I also want to congratulate our member for Radisson (MLA Dela Cruz) for the amazing job that she did as the host of the federal convention. She represented not just Manitoba youth, but Manitobans of all ages with poise, intelligence and class–much more than we could say for the members opposite.
I also want to take this opportunity to offer my sincerest condolences to Avi and to the entire family on the loss of their dear father, Stephen Lewis. Lucky to call him a mentor. He made Canada and the world a better place. Millions of people with HIV–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Khan: The Premier's answer clearly shows he's not serious about the economy. He's not serious about affordability. He even laughs as he's sitting down because he runs out of time. Manitobans deserve a serious Premier.
Their federal NDP leader has put forward ideas–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –that are going to destroy Canada's economy and Manitoba's economy along with it. Policies that restrict development and discourage investment do the exact opposite of grow one's economy. Manitoba is falling behind the rest of Canada when we are ranked dead last for economic growth. For GDP in Canada, we are dead last under this NDP government.
Manitoba is not securing any major projects. It's not attracting any investments at the rate it should, other than a pipe dream by this Premier for 20 years for Churchill down the road. The ideas bring people together that will grow our economy.
So will the Premier stand up today and tell Manitobans why he's supporting Avi Lewis's radical ideas when it comes to economy?
Mr. Kinew: So, as I was saying, Honourable Speaker, Stephen Lewis got millions of people around the world, especially in Africa, treatment for HIV. He helped to end apartheid, using the power of his mind and the power of his voice. He led this country to be a more just, compassionate place. He will be missed.
And I support his son because I know that he shares those same values, the values that we support on this side of the House.
And, of course, I lifted Avi's hand the same way that I reached for the hand of Mark Carney, Pierre Poilievre, any federal politician. You did not elect us to pick fights; you elected us to get things done, and that's exactly what we're going to do.
On the other side of the House: picking fights with the federal government, picking fights with municipalities, picking fights with First Nations that eventually ended their time in government.
So if this is a contest over who's going to get things done, bring it on. We're working for you. They're just faking it.
The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Khan: It would be nice if the Premier talked about Manitoba instead of talking about international politics or Africa.
* (14:00)
Everyone can clearly see that he has his eyes–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –set on Mark Carney's job.
The federal seat is taken, Honourable Premier. Maybe you should focus on Manitoba. [interjection] If you–
The Speaker: Order, please. Stop the clock.
Order. Order. The government bench needs to come to order.
Mr. Khan: Members want to heckle across the way. Our focus, on this side of the House, is Manitobans. Manitobans come first.
Can the Premier tell Manitobans which of these policies from his federal NDP boss he supports? Is it the opposition of major resource infrastructure projects? Is it the rapid phase‑out of oil and gas? Is it large-scale government-led spending programs that his federal boss wants to do? Is it increased regulation on businesses?
Can the Premier stand up and tell Manitobans which of these policies from his federal NDP boss he supports?
Mr. Kinew: We're making the cost of living more affordable. We're helping you with grocery prices. We're helping you with energy prices. And we'll work together with the federal NDP to make sure that life gets more affordable in Canada.
However, when it comes to the members opposite, I don't need to go look at the crazy things Pierre Poilievre has said. I just have to look at the crazy things he says: he who attacked LGBT children in the last election; he who turns the other eye against the member for Red River North (Mr. Wharton) who broke the law during the caretaker period and was fined; he who thanked Donald Trump for the tariffs that were being applied.
You can go ahead and talk about what federal politicians say when they're at the convention. We'll still be here in Manitoba talking about the ugly hate you spew against people right here at our home. But, most importantly, we'll be–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order, please. Order, please. Order, please.
I would remind the First Minister to always direct his comments through the Chair and not directly to the members opposite.
Mr. Khan: Again, the Premier will not answer a simple question about which policies he supports from his federal NDP boss. He stands on stage and raises his hand but he won't say which one he supports.
Of all his radical ideas, which one is it that this Premier supports behind Avi Lewis? The ideas from his federal boss have made other NDP leaders across western Canada distance themselves from him, but this Premier can't hold himself back. He has to take up the limelight. He has to run onstage and embrace Avi Lewis and raise his hand.
Does this Premier understand that he cannot grow the economy by hurting businesses, by driving investments out of this province? That's exactly what his federal NDP boss are going to do.
So will the Premier tell Manitobans why he's going to risk Manitobans' jobs and opportunity here by supporting crazy ideas from his NDP boss, Avi Lewis?
Mr. Kinew: There are tens of thousands of more Manitobans with jobs since we took office because of the economic policies of our team. We have the best budget number in the entire country: better than Scott Moe, better than Doug Ford, better than Tim Houston.
We got a positive review from Moody's, from S&P. The economic plan that we're laying out is a strong one. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: On the other side, they don't want to support Manitoba jobs. They couldn't even hire a Manitoba campaign director.
Instead, they're sending tens of thousands of caucus dollars out–your taxpayer dollars–out to Alberta to import ideas which are pretty lame, I've got to say: Oh, Wab's a member of the NDP. Sh'yeah, we know. Doug Ford knows. Mark Carney knows. Everyone knows.
But when it comes to you, we're making your life more affordable. We're fixing your health care. We're fixing your roads and we're investing in schools.
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Khan: No one believes a word this Premier is saying.
NDP Premier David Eby in BC says he's going to stand against Avi Lewis' policies. Opposition NDP leader, Naheed Nenshi, in Alberta, has made it clear that he does not align himself with the more extreme elements of the federal NDP under Avi Lewis's leadership. NDP opposition leader, Carla Beck, in Saskatchewan, has said: If you're serious about affordability, your policies have to match. And she's also distanced herself from Avi Lewis.
Economic growth requires pragmatism, not ideology. You cannot grow an economy by driving investments away and undermining key industries.
So why is this Premier aligning with ideas that undermine affordability and economic growth when even other NDP leaders are distancing themselves from Avi Lewis?
Mr. Kinew: Honourable Speaker, when I say something, people know that I mean it. I said we were going to cut the gas tax; we did. I said we were going to search the landfill–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: Oh, look at them. Look at them heckling the landfill search again. I would've thought they would've learned. But, again, another promise kept, another promise delivered.
When it comes to economic policy, does it help to have tariffs? Well, why did he thank Donald Trump after the tariffs were applied? Can you build an economy without LGBT folks? Can you build an economy without–what the–ever the heck that was he said in the first set of questions? No, you can't. You build an economy by making sure that every single person in the society is valued by the government and has an opportunity to find success.
And you want to know why I stand with Avi Lewis? It's because we're going to work together to build a Canada where not only every child matters but every person matters and economic justice is within reach for all.
The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Khan: And the Premier won't stand up and clearly state which policies from his federal NDP leader he supports. He won't say which one he doesn't support. While other NDP leaders across western Canada are distancing themselves from the ideas of their federal NDP leader, Avi Lewis, this Premier is embracing him on stage.
It is clear that the federal NDP party is ideologically focused on destroying key parts of Manitoba and Canada's economy by nationalizing key elements, driving out investment and increasing regulation. Avi Lewis said so himself, and this Premier embraced him on stage.
So the question is simple for the Premier, and maybe he can actually answer one today. NDP leaders and members across all of Canada are distancing themselves from the federal NDP party under leadership of Avi Lewis.
Why is the Premier moving closer to aligning himself with NDP leader Avi Lewis?
Mr. Kinew: So there you go. We're clearly doing an amazing job on health care. We've clearly done a lot, with much more to do, when it comes to the cost of living. All the economic policies are going great. The education policy, it's all sterling because given the time to raise any of those topics that Manitobans are thinking about, all the member opposite can talk about is Avi Lewis. Good signs of things to come for the federal party in the future, maybe. People are getting excited and fired up.
But here in Manitoba, we're focused on you. We cut the gas tax once, maybe we'll do it again. We brought down the tax at the grocery stores–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –to help you save money. And, of course, when it comes to housing costs, whether you're paying a mortgage or paying a rent, we're there to help you too.
While the members opposite are stuck in a partisan dead end of their own making, we are focused on the common good, we're focused on the common person. That's what we have in common with you.
Mrs. Lauren Stone (Midland): The economy is getting worse, not better, under this NDP. Last year, Manitoba had the worst economic GDP growth in the entire country at just 1.1 per cent. Now Deloitte has actually downgraded Manitoba's GDP growth to just 1 per cent for this year. This is a sign, a sign that the NDP are dragging Manitoba backwards.
After almost three years of higher taxes, less investment and zero major projects, why has this Premier (Mr. Kinew) left Manitoba with one of the weakest growth projections in the entire country?
Hon. Adrien Sala (Minister of Finance): Honourable Speaker, over 30,000 jobs created in Manitoba since this team took government. We're responding to the economic headwinds created by those tariffs with huge investments in capital, a $3.8‑billion capital plan this budget, the biggest capital plan in Manitoba's history. We're building the schools, hospitals and infrastructure that never got built for years under the members opposite.
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We know how important it is to keep moving Manitoba forward and growing this economy. We know how important workers are to that. That's why this budget had a $7.2-million investment in apprenticeships, to make sure we have the skilled workers we need to help grow our economy here in this province.
Again, for years, we had a lack of leadership, a lack of vision under the members opposite. This team is doing the work of not only investing and making sure we have the health care we–
The Speaker: The member's time has expired.
The honourable member for Midland, on a supplementary question.
Mrs. Stone: This Premier stood up and said Moody's response was a good one. This is deeply concerning for Manitoba, considering Moody's credit rating agency just came out with red flags that this Premier's budget does not reflect economic realities. The NDP was warned last year. They're being warned this year. This is serious.
When will this Premier start taking Manitoba's fiscal reality seriously?
MLA Sala: Honourable Speaker, credit rating agencies are responding favourably to the budget we just put out. This is fiction and Manitobans know it.
And you know what? That's based off some of the important work we've done with credit rating agencies–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
MLA Sala: –and with investors.
And one of the things we're proudest of, when we came in government, 9.9 cents on every dollar was going towards servicing debt. Under this team this year with this budget, 8.9 cents on every dollar. Reducing debt, getting the job done they never did.
Manitobans know they can count on us to not only move forward in a fiscally sustainable way–something they never did–but we're going to do that while we invest in health care and fixing the mess that they left for us to clean up.
The Speaker: The honourable member for Midland, on a final supplementary question.
Mrs. Stone: Moody's credit rating agency has warned this NDP government year over year that their budget projections do not match Manitoba's economic reality. When 'cwedir'–credit rating agencies start questioning the numbers, this is not just a warning, but it's a credibility crisis.
Instead of a real economic plan, this NDP is pinning all its hopes and dreams on Hydro making money and it raining. The–now the NDP has been warned by credit rating agencies year after year, yet the NDP just does not seem to get it. This is serious.
When is this Premier going to start taking Manitoba's fiscal reality seriously?
MLA Sala: Honourable Speaker, right before the PCs left government, they left Manitobans with a budget that had an estimated $600 million in revenue from Manitoba Hydro, completely lacking in credibility.
And we know that, when they came out and they already knew that Hydro was not headed for a $600-million result, they hid that from Manitobans. They hid that before an election, and we know why they hid it.
We saw that, of course, them make multiple decisions that show that they're not interested in transparency, they're not interested in accountability.
On this side of the House, we're doing the hard work of ensuring fiscal sustainability. We're working closely with credit rating agencies and investors to ensure they know that we're building forward a important–a path to balance, as we committed, next year and we're going to do that again while we invest in the things that they didn't invest in for seven and a half years; in fact, that they cut, like fixing health–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Mr. Konrad Narth (La Vérendrye): Honourable Speaker, with Manitoba's economy continuing to slow, the minister of business, trade and job creation is failing in every single ask of his mandate letter. Rather than grow our economy with good jobs, support Manitoba businesses and increase investment in our province, instead of doing that, this Minister supports the Manitoba jobs agreement, a policy that shuts out the vast majority of Manitroba's [phonetic] construction workforce and creates new barriers to getting projects built.
How does forcing workers out of jobs and limiting who can work on provincial–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Narth: –projects grow our Manitoba economy?
Hon. Jamie Moses (Minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation): Honourable Speaker, I just want to highlight the fact that the member opposite forgot the mining responsibility as part of the portfolio. And I think it's important to highlight that because the Mining Association is here in the building today.
And so I want to thank them for the good work they do to build up the mining jobs across Manitoba. I was reminded today by the good work of the Mining Association, MAMI, that it's all about jobs: it's about northern jobs; it's about putting people to work in northern Manitoba, giving them more economic opportunities.
And so we're happy to say that we're supporting that. We opened a new gold mine here in Manitoba. That's more Manitobans who are working, that's more good jobs in the North and that's growing a strong economy for all Manitoba.
The Speaker: The honourable member for La Vérendrye, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Narth: Honourable Speaker, the only mine that this 'miniker'–minister can speak of is one that was started under our government.
This minister has failed to fulfill on every single one of the mandates in his mandate letter. He has failed to expand opportunity and grow Manitoba's workforce, and this is particularly true in the construction sector.
The Manitoba jobs agreement shuts out up to 88 per cent of Manitoba's construction workforce for major projects unless they go through the government-favoured system. At the same time, we're seeing real projects struggle. Companies like Natural Proteins in Blumenort are facing delays, and investment like Law Merit [phonetic] are reconsidering Manitoba altogether.
How can this minister claim–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Mr. Moses: Honourable Speaker, we're happy to work together across all sectors to build a strong economy for Manitobans and that means working with the construction sector. We're happy to say that our Manitoba job agreement benefits all workers–100 per cent of workers will be better off, will have better wages, will have safer work environments.
And the great thing about the Manitoba jobs agreement is it's going to prevent those out-of-province workers for taking Manitoba jobs. We're going to hire Manitobans for Manitoba jobs. It's a radical idea that members opposite have never heard of, but we're going to do it here. We're going to actually hire Manitobans instead of folks from Alberta, like many member opposites already have a track record of doing.
While we're doing that, we're going to make sure we support businesses and support workers, building a stronger economy for Manitobans' construction sector right here–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Mr. Narth: Honourable Speaker, that's simply not with the results that we're seeing. In this minister's mandate letter–a mandate which has failed tremendously–was to grow the economy and attract investment. Instead, business confidence is down, investment is leaving and now their signature policy risks slowing projects before they even begin. The mandate letter talks about results, but this minister is delivering barriers.
Will the minister admit the Manitoba jobs agreement is undermining his own mandate and putting Manitoba jobs at risk?
Mr. Moses: Well, Honourable Speaker, the Manitoba jobs agreement is delivering a hundred per cent better than what–everything that they ever came up with. All workers will be better wages, safer work environments and continue to 'privaritize'–prioritize jobs for Manitobans.
And then the same time, we want to talk about our results. Well, for all–to all 2025: Second best unemployment rate; second best youth unemployment rate; hiring nearly 30,000 new workers over the last two years; and No. 1 in private employment increase for all of 2025. That's real investment.
But we're not stopping there. This budget, we announced over $7 million of new funding for apprenticeship, making sure that more Manitobans have the opportunity to get skilled–get the skills they need. The–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
MLA Jeff Bereza (Portage la Prairie): Manitobans are disappointed that this NDP government is spending five times the amount on consumption sites as it is on treatment and recovery. Not only did their budget fail to include a single RAAM clinic, this government is backing consumption sites right next to treatment centres. This minister's actions are setting up people struggling in addiction to fail.
How is this helping anyone?
Hon. Bernadette Smith (Minister of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness): Well, our government takes a four-pillared approach. Again, that member, when they were in government, they took a blind eye. They didn't support any members like–that were struggling. They sold off housing, put people in encampments, sent them deeper into their addictions.
We're not taking that approach. We're taking a four-pillared 'proach' where we're meeting people where they're at, taking a harm reduction approach, making sure that we're connecting them to supports so that we can get them onto a path of recovery.
We're working with the Justice Minister to make sure that we're in full enforcement, and we're working with our amazing Education Minister so that we are getting nutrition–
* (14:20)
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable member for Portage la Prairie, on a supplementary question.
MLA Bereza: Just to set the record straight, it was seven RAAM clinics that we set up.
This NDP government has created a system with absolutely no accountability. The only thing stopping this minister is the watchful community of Point Douglas, her own constituents. We have stood shoulder to shoulder with them as they dug through the federal records to uncover answers she refused to give.
Will the minister today give concerned Winnipeggers assurance right now that if her government's mobile consumption site rolled up next to a recovery centre, she would shut it down immediately?
Ms. Smith: Let me be very clear with that member that, you know, the folks that are on the front lines, including social workers, are very skilled people that are servicing and supporting these members. That leader across the way has devalued those very important people that are supporting those folks through addictions.
In 2019, while those folks were in opposition–in government, 143 people overdosed. But in 2023, while they were in government, that rose to 793–a hundred–794 deaths. And I just want to juxtapose that. Since we formed government, we've added over 1,500 addiction treatment spaces. We are continuing to take a balanced approach–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable member for Portage la Prairie, on a final supplementary question.
MLA Bereza: So when will this minister be shutting down the mobile overdose prevention site which is operating continuously at 631 Main St., sharing a parking lot with a well-respected Red Road Lodge recovery program? This is happening right now, today, under this minister's watch.
So Manitobans want to know when–when will the mobile drug consumption site stop operating next to a recovery centre at 631 Main St.? When?
Ms. Smith: Again, members on that side knew that there was people dying in the streets. Businesses were knocking on that member's door on that side. They refused to take action.
On this side of the House, we're listening. We're taking a proactive approach. We're going to ensure that members have places to go so that they can get connected to services, unlike members opposite, who refuse to listen.
We're taking a health-led model. We're going to ensure that people get treatment and recovery. That's why we're working on opening up Anne Oake. We're working with Bruce Oake. We've opened up over 1,500 treatment spaces. We're going to continue to work on housing with wraparound support so people can get access to resources and supports, unlike members opposite–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Mr. Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): Winnipeggers already know that under this NDP government, they're allowing youth under the age of 18 to enter the drug consumption site without any ID.
Now, I'd like to ask the Education Minister of–not only Education, but also early childhood learning–when was she–when did she become aware that her NDP government are going to be hanging posters to advertise the drug consumption site in schools?
Hon. Bernadette Smith (Minister of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness): You know what? That member should be ashamed of himself. As an educator, he should be very ashamed of himself. As an educator myself, he knows that there are youth in schools that are struggling with addiction that need supports and services, and he is stigmatizing those very youth that need access. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Ms. Smith: We have been clear from the beginning that youth will not be allowed in the supervised consumption site, and if a youth does–under 18–come to the supervised consumption site, that they will be referred to the appropriate service.
Shame on that member.
The Speaker: The honourable member for Lac du Bonnet, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Ewasko: So, Honourable Speaker, it seems–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Ewasko: –that the Brandon Sun had asked for a shuffle in the Education Department. Looks like it possibly happened without anybody ever knowing.
So the question is simple. I'm asking the Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister: When did she authorize schools to advertise for the drug consumption site here in Winnipeg? Winnipeggers want to know; Manitobans want to know. When did she authorize it?
Ms. Smith: We know that there's youth out there that are struggling with addictions and substance use. I want to say to those youth that there is help for them out there, that there is support. RaY does an amazing job.
There are so many folks out there that are on the front lines, and I want to say miigwech to you, I want to lift you up and I want to say thanks for the work that you do each and every day.
To those members opposite, they continue to stigmatize you, the very folks that are struggling, and the parents and all of those that are struggling to get the supports that you need. Shame on members opposite for doing what you're doing.
We believe in you, we support you, and we are continuing–put the services that you need to get your loved ones help.
The Speaker: The honourable member for Lac du Bonnet, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Ewasko: Shame on this minister for standing up and asking the Education Minister to sit down, so–because the Education Minister obviously doesn't know the answer, Honourable Speaker. This minister–shame on this minister and the whole NDP government–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Ewasko: –for going out and promoting drug consumption sites–matter of fact, getting to the point of hanging up posters in local schools advertising for youth to go to these drug consumption sites.
I want to ask either minister, or even the Premier (Mr. Kinew): When was he–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Ewasko: –aware that they're going to be hanging posters in schools to advertise the drug consumption site that they're going to be opening, Honourable Speaker? [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Ms. Smith: Again, as an educator, and as a fellow educator, he needs to be ashamed of himself. We've been very clear, on this side of the House, that no one under 18 will be entering the supervised consumption site. If someone under the age of 18 comes to the–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Ms. Smith: –supervised consumption site, they will be referred to the appropriate service.
Again, members opposite is stigmatizing substance use. That's what leads to people losing their lives. We need to make sure that they are getting the appropriate services that they need. That's why people are overdosing and losing their lives. That's exactly why we need a supervised consumption site, so that we can get people the appropriate supports and services that they need. They are not going to get–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
MLA JD Devgan (McPhillips): Honourable Speaker, Manitobans understand that mental health is a critical part of our health‑care system. The professionals delivering that service are essential to supporting patients and families. Our government has been taking the action to strengthen these services by hiring more professionals than ever before.
Can the Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism please tell Manitobans more about the amazing Manitoban health-care professionals and how many we've hired?
Thank you.
Hon. Nellie Kennedy (Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism): I'd like to thank the member for McPhillips for that really important question.
On this side of the House, we respect social workers and every mental health professional who work tirelessly and play such a vital role in caring for Manitobans. As someone who had the privilege and honour to work and be a registered social worker for many years, I know that meeting people where they're at, whether it be in crisis, in recovery or somewhere in between, is critical.
That's why our government is so excited to announce that we have hired over 50 new net mental health professionals in our province. That means more psychologists, more mental health co-ordinators, and you guessed it, Honourable Speaker–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Mr. Trevor King (Lakeside): Honourable Speaker, two years ago, this government insisted the North End Water Pollution Control Centre must be completed by 2030 to protect Lake Winnipeg. Yet, now they have quietly extended that deadline to 2032 because the project is behind schedule.
* (14:30)
Given that this delay stems in large part from the Province's own failure to provide clear funding commitments, can the minister tell Manitobans today whether or when this project is inevitably delayed again due to their indecision?
Hon. Mike Moyes (Minister of Environment and Climate Change): Honourable Speaker, Manitobans care about water. We care about our water. The only group that doesn't care about the water is the PC caucus.
We're committed to getting NEWPCC built to protect our water, to build up our economy and to ensure that we continue to move forward. That is something that did not happen under their seven and a half years of their dismal government.
The Speaker: The honourable member for Lakeside, on a supplementary question.
Mr. King: Honourable Speaker, Manitobans have heard wildly different stories from this government. The Premier (Mr. Kinew) says billions, minister says millions and the City of Winnipeg has not seen a single dime for phase 3 of the NEWPCC project. With cuts across the board in this budget, there's no room anywhere for a project of this scale.
So I will ask again: Very simply, how much money is actually in this budget for phase 3 of the North End Water Pollution Control Centre?
MLA Moyes: Honourable Speaker, this is ultimately about the–this–putting up the safeguards around Lake Winnipeg and all of our waterways. And to be quite frank, our government would have liked this done yesterday.
Unfortunately, the members opposite dithered away year after year after year, for seven and a half years, not getting anything done.
And so now we've put milestones in to ensure that our North End Water Pollution–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
MLA Moyes: –Control Centre can get built on time.
We're going to hold them to account and we're going to push the City to make sure it happens.
The Speaker: The honourable member for Lakeside, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. King: Honourable Speaker, let's make it clear to Manitobans that it was the PC government that helped fund phase 1 and 2 of this project. The City of Winnipeg has made it clear that without a firm provincial funding commitment for phase 3 of NEWPCC, it cannot proceed. If the City of Winnipeg is forced to go at it alone, the failure will result in sewer rates going up by $1,000 per property.
With no clear funding commitment coming from this government, will the minister tell Winnipeg families and businesses that he is okay with them paying the price for its ongoing delay and indecision?
MLA Moyes: Honourable Speaker, we've been really clear with the City, we've been really clear with Manitobans and Winnipeggers that we are going to be there to get NEWPCC built in phase three. And, even better, we're going to do it under the Manitoba jobs agreement.
We recognize how important this is for our waterway. We recognize how important this is for our economy. And we recognize how important this is for Winnipeggers and Manitobans.
Mrs. Carrie Hiebert (Morden‑Winkler): Honourable Speaker, the community of Morden has reached its waste water capacity, and as a result, new housing and business development are being stalled or denied. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mrs. Hiebert: Yet in this year's provincial budget, there was no dedicated funding for waste water infrastructure anywhere in the province.
Can the minister explain–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mrs. Hiebert: –why growing communities like Morden were completely overlooked?
Hon. Glen Simard (Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations): Well, we continue to invest in waste water and water across Manitoba. We did that in the RSR, we did it in Pembina Valley Water Co‑op and we did it with the Morden-Winkler line.
We will continue to work with Mayor Penner and their team to make sure that the future of Morden, like the future of Manitoba, is secure. And, again, we go back to being honest brokers with municipalities, honest brokers with the City, honest brokers with the feds rather than taking out that black and brown and MAGA red and scaring everybody because that's the only play they have left.
We will continue to work with Morden, we'll continue to work with Pembina Valley Water Co-op and we'll continue to stand up for you, Manitobans.
The Speaker: The honourable member for Morden-Winkler, on a supplementary question.
Mrs. Hiebert: Honourable Speaker, how does this government expect Manitoba's economy to grow when rural communities are being forced to turn away investment due to inadequate waste water infrastructure?
Does the minister recognize that the lack of capacity is directly impacting jobs, housing and economic opportunities in Manitoba? Will he reply back to the mayor of Morden's emails?
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Every week when I go on Golden West radio, I always talk about water and waste water in the Pembina Valley. We're going to be there to get it done.
But if people watching question period today just heard a little scuffle of noise in the back row, I want to point out that there was an unfortunate little outburst from the member for Red River North (Mr. Wharton), which is really, really interesting because he never talks on the record ever since he was fined.
That's another thing about the member for Red River North that we noticed over the weekend. They've nominated every single incumbent who's running again in the PC Party, except one; they haven't renominated the member for Red River North.
So as they go running to the social media and as they go running to the scrum, please tell everybody, are you finally going to ban him from running for violating the constitution and breaking the law? Or is it even worse that you're keeping a spot open for someone who was fined during this legislative session?
The Speaker: The time for oral questions has expired.
And I have a ruling for the House.
Order. Order.
The Speaker: I have a ruling for the House. [interjection]
Order. Order.
Following oral questions on March 17, 2026, the honourable Government House Leader (MLA Fontaine) rose on a matter of privilege, alleging that during oral questions, the Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan) made disparaging and threatening remarks directed at the Deputy Premier (MLA Asagwara) and the First Minister. The honourable Government House Leader concluded her remarks by moving that this matter be referred to a committee of this House.
The honourable Official Opposition House Leader (Mr. Johnson) spoke to the matter before I took it under advisement.
In order for a matter of privilege to be ruled as a prima facie case, a member must demonstrate that the issue has been raised at the earliest opportunity, while also providing sufficient evidence to support the claim that a prima facie case of privilege has been established.
On the condition of timeliness, in accordance with our rules, the honourable Government House Leader raised the matter immediately following oral questions on the day the remarks were allegedly spoken. Accordingly, I would rule that the matter was raised at the earliest opportunity.
On the second condition of whether a prima facie case was demonstrated, in her submission, the honourable Government House Leader alleged that during oral questions that day, the Leader of the Official Opposition yelled across the Chamber to the Deputy Premier: You are a terrible person, whatever you are.
The honourable Government House Leader further alleged that the Leader of the Official Opposition said to the Premier (Mr. Kinew): Let's take it outside.
The member stated that these two comments amounted to a threat from one member to two members of her caucus.
The honourable Government House Leader's allegation is, in part, based on language used in the Chamber, and as I–as many other Manitoba Speakers have noted in previous comparable rulings, unparliamentary language is governed by a practice of this House.
* (14:40)
Joseph Maingot, in the second edition of Parliamentary Privilege in Canada, states on page 14 that allegations of a breach of privilege by a member which "amount to complaints about procedures and practices in the House are by their very nature matters of order." He also states on page 254 of the same edition that language "that impugns the integrity of Members would be unparliamentary and a breach of order contrary to the Standing Orders, but not a breach of privilege."
The honourable Government House Leader also alleged that members of her caucus were threatened by the Leader of the Official Opposition. In the fourth edition of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Janse and LeBlanc state in citation 3.78 that "Attempting to obstruct members' parliamentary work by threatening or intimidating them is a situation that the Speaker always takes very seriously."
As the Speaker of this House and as a Manitoba citizen, I am deeply disappointed at the atrocious state of decorum in the House last week. The yelling and hollering during oral questions in recent weeks has been embarrassing and shameful. I have tried many times in the past to make you all understand that, with such behaviour, you are leaving a disgraceful legacy for the people of Manitoba and especially the children and youth who come to watch our proceedings in the public gallery.
I cannot count how many times I have warned members that if they did not stop making so much noise, I would not be able to hear what was happening in the House and therefore not able to do my job properly. This 'ident'–incident would be a prime example of that problem. Due to the level of noise in the Chamber during the exchange in oral questions, I could not hear either of these alleged comments.
In preparing this ruling, I listened to the audio from our House broadcast many times trying to hear the comments in question with no success. As a next step, I requested an isolated audio feed from the interject mics positioned at the clerks' table. These mics are in place to attempt to catch parts of members' speech that might be lost due to technical problems or excessive noise during sitting. In this case, however, they provided a clearer recording of comments being made amongst the many voices heard at the moment.
On this recording, I can clearly hear the Leader of the Opposition say: You are a terrible person, whatever you are.
It is up to me as Speaker–[interjection]
Order. Order.
And the honourable member–the Official Leader of the Opposition should pay attention.
On this recording, I can clearly hear the Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan) say: You are a terrible person, whatever you are.
It is up to me as Speaker to determine if that comment was a threat. [interjection]
Order.
I was shocked and appalled to hear such dehumanizing comment had, in fact, been made in this Chamber. There have been a lot of hurtful, disrespectful things said in this Chamber in my time as Speaker, and I truly wish that those comments, and this comment, had never been heard in this room.
Based on past precedents and after much consultation with other jurisdictions, I find that, much to my disappointment, that I cannot rule those hateful words as a threat. Therefore, I am ruling on this matter the honourable Government House Leader did not establish a prima facie case of privilege.
Members have heard me explain the importance of privilege of freedom of speech we all have at–members of this Legislature. That privilege is essential for the effective functioning of the House. However, the misuse or abuse of this privilege can and does create significant problems in this House.
In the fourth edition of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Janse and LeBlanc share the following thoughts in citation 3.62: "The privilege of freedom of speech is an extremely powerful immunity, and on occasion, Speakers have had to caution members about its misuse. The Speaker has noted that while this right is essential to parliamentary business, the word 'free' is not synonymous with 'limitless.'"
The question that I wrestled with on this ruling is: Do I set a new precedent? What are the ramifications of doing that? What happens to a member's right to freedom of speech if I make that ruling? How do I, as the Speaker, limit that freedom?
The answer is I cannot do that, as that is not how this place is meant to function.
While I cannot rule this as a valid matter of privilege, I could rule on such comments as a matter of order in the future. I am advising the House now that I will keep this option in mind as long as I am in the chair. We should all be sensitive to the fact that our society's history is crowded with examples of remarks and actions causing great pain and hardship to many, many people. There is absolutely no need for any further such remarks being shared in this Chamber, and I implore all members to use language that is more respectful in this House.
As I have stated, this kind of behaviour in the House leaves a very bad legacy for Manitobans who voted for us all. Worse still, I believe they also create a disincentive for worthy and capable people to run for office. At times like this, we do not make the Legislature look like an attractive workplace.
In accordance with the established policy of the office of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and with previous rulings, I will provide this audio clip upon request. I have nothing further to say on this matter except to say that I will continue to do this job to the best of my abilities, and I strongly believe that Manitoban–that members should be setting a better example for Manitobans in this place.
Point of Order
Hon. Nahanni Fontaine (Government House Leader): On a point of order, in respect of your ruling.
And I just want to read this for the record, and I quote: On this recording, I can hear–I can clearly hear the Leader of the Opposition–the Official Opposition say, and I quote: You are a terrible person, whatever you are. End quote.
And while the Leader of the Opposition has not paid attention once while you are reading your ruling, I would ask the Leader of the Opposition to get up today to apologize to the Deputy Premier (MLA Asagwara) and the Minister of Health for his dehumanizing language against an individual and Manitobans, like the Minister of Health, who are already attacked on a daily basis, including by himself during the 2023 election. I would ask him to get up and apologize.
Immediately after this matter of privilege, the Leader of the Official Opposition went outside these Chamber doors and told media that he never said that. And, today, it is proven that he, in fact, did say that. So he went outside these Chambers and lied to the media. And so I ask him to get up–
The Speaker: Order, please.
I'd just remind the honourable member–and ask her to withdraw that comment–that using the term lied is unparliamentary language.
* (14:50)
MLA Fontaine: The member did put erroneous facts on the record when he spoke to the media.
The Speaker: I have to remind the honourable Government House Leader (MLA Fontaine) that she must withdraw the comment.
MLA Fontaine: I withdraw the comment.
The Speaker: Thank you.
So, on the matter of privilege–on the point of order, I'm sorry–are there other members wishing to speak? [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Are there other members wishing to speak on the point of order?
Hon. Uzoma Asagwara (Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care): Honourable Speaker, I just want to thank you for taking the time and doing your due diligence to bring forward a ruling that reflects the truth of what happened in the Chamber that day. I know it was a significant undertaking as outlined here in your ruling, and I do appreciate that those efforts were made.
I am disappointed to see that the Leader of the Opposition is choosing, in this moment, to not be accountable to Manitobans and to simply do what is very basic and to offer an apology. And not to me, Honourable Speaker. Quite frankly, I would say that that would be an apology that would mean a great deal to many Manitobans, who I'm sure most of us in this Chamber have heard from, have been deeply and personally affected by his hateful and dehumanizing remarks.
I do want to take a moment to thank my colleagues on this side of the Chamber, the Premier (Mr. Kinew), in particular, for their immediate response in that moment the day that it happened, and for their ongoing support again–not of me–yes, of me, but, of course, of Manitobans, who I know have been reaching out to share, not only the disgust at the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition, but that on that day, his actions made some people in our province feel a little less safe.
And so the last thing that I would offer on this point of order, Honourable Speaker, is to Manitobans, and particularly young Manitobans. I hope that you see that if in a place as esteemed as this Chamber there can be a result that condemns such hateful and dehumanizing actions, I hope that you can see that no matter what space you take up anywhere in our province, you deserve to be respected, you deserve to be supported and you deserve to be treated with the common decency that our government stands for for all Manitobans.
And so you will not, unfortunately, receive an apology from the Leader of the Opposition. And so I'm going to offer you an apology today and say that you didn't deserve to be affected by his remarks in the way that you were. I extend that apology to you, and I want to reassure you that you will continue to have a Premier and a government in our NDP caucus that stands with you each and every day and continues to build a province where you know, unequivocally, that you belong.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on the same point of order.
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): On the same point of order.
I, on this side of the House, as leader of this party, and the members on this side of the House, can stand and recognize when I make a mistake; and I apologize to the deputy Health Minister, apologize to members opposite, to everyone in the Chamber and all Manitobans for those words.
I look forward to seeing the full audio or listening to the full audio of that, but if that's the interpretation of the Speaker, I apologize for that. I apologize for any of those comments I may have made.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
The Speaker: Order, please. Order, please. Order.
I believe that, once again, while the apology was proffered, it was lacking. But I believe that concludes this matter officially.
* * *
The Speaker: Petitions.
House Business
The Speaker: Oh, House business.
The honourable opposition–the honourable member for Steinbach (Mr. Goertzen).
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Chairperson, Standing Committee on Public Accounts): House business.
The Speaker: On House business.
Mr. Goertzen: I'd like to announce that the previously announced Standing Committee on Public Accounts meeting on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 3 p.m., will be rescheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026, at 3 p.m.
I'd also like to announce that the previously announced Standing Committee on Public Accounts meeting on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 5 p.m., will be rescheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026, at 5 p.m.
The Speaker: Order, please.
It has been announced that the previously announced Standing Committee on Public Accounts meeting on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. will be rescheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026, at 3 p.m.
It's also been announced that the previously announced Standing Committee on Public Accounts meeting held on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 5 p.m., will be rescheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026, at 5 p.m.
Hon. Nahanni Fontaine (Government House Leader): On House business.
Pursuant to rule 34(7), I am announcing that the private member's resolution to be considered on the next Tuesday of private members' business will be one put forward by the honourable member for Kildonan-River East (Mrs. Schott). The title of the resolution is National Strategy for Silver Alerts.
The Speaker: It's been announced that pursuant to rule 34(7), that the private member's resolution to be considered on the next Tuesday of private members' business will be one put forward by the honourable member for Kildonan-River East. The title of the resolution is National Strategy for Silver Alerts.
Mr. Derek Johnson (Interlake-Gimli): Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition.
Mic. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order, please.
Mr. Johnson: To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Thanks to the investment made under the previous PC provincial government as part of the clinical and preventative services plan, construction for the new Portage regional health facility is well under way. The facility is surrounding community would greatly benefit from added diagnostic machinery and equipment, but specifically the addition of an MRI machine.
(2) An MRI machine is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of organs and tissues in the human body. It is used for disease detection and diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
Mic. [interjection]
The Speaker: The honourable member for Interlake-Gimli.
Order, please. Order, please.
The two leaders have been conversing back and forth across the Chamber, and, in particular, the First Minister. If there's a conversation to be had, please take it somewhere else so that I can hear what's being said.
Mr. Johnson: (3) Portage la Prairie is centrally located in Manitoba and is on the No. 1 Highway in Southern Health/Santé Sud Health Authority. Currently there is only one MRI machine in the RHA.
(4) An MRI machine located in the Portage regional health facility will reduce transportation costs for patients as well as reduce the burden on stretcher service and ambulance use. It will bring care closer to home and reduce wait times for MRI scans across the province.
* (15:00)
(5) Located around Portage la Prairie are the Dakota Tipi, Dakota Plains, Sandy Bay and Long Plain First Nations reserves. Indigenous peoples in Canada disproportionately face barriers in access to services and medical care. An MRI machine is located in the Portage regional health facility will bring care closer to their home communities and provide greater access to diagnostic testing.
(6) Located in close proximity to the new Portage regional health facility is the Southport airport. This aerodrome has a runway length that is more than adequate to support medical air ambulance services. This would provide the opportunity to transport patients by air from more remote communities to access MRI imaging services.
(7) The average wait time for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will help reduce these wait times for patients and provide better care sooner.
We petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:
To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
This petition is signed by Mr. Pashe, Tracy Lenton, Carly Trowsky and many, many other fine Manitobans.
MLA Jeff Bereza (Portage la Prairie): I wish to present the following petition.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Kellie Verwey, a beloved young woman from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, was tragically killed in a car crash caused by a repeat violent offender with a long criminal history.
(2) Despite repeated violations of his bail conditions, the offender was free to roam the streets and to ultimately claim Kellie's life. This tragedy was entirely preventable.
(3) While the Criminal Code falls under federal jurisdiction, provinces have been given the responsibility for the administration of justice, allowing for meaningful provincial action on bail reform to ensure public safety.
(4) Other provinces have taken proactive steps to strengthen bail enforcement, but Manitoba has not used all the available tools to address this issue effectively.
(5) The provincial government has the ability and the responsibility to advocate for and implement measures that protect its citizens by ensuring that repeat violent offenders are not released to our communities without proper safeguards.
(6) Immediate action is required to close gaps in the justice system that allow dangerous criminals to remain free, which puts innocent Manitobans at risk.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
(1) To urge the provincial government to take immediate and decisive action on bail reform to address serious deficits in enforcement by utilizing all available provincial mechanisms to strengthen warrant enforcement, increasing bail supervision and opposing release of offenders, thus ensuring that repeat violent offenders are held accountable and that the public safety is prioritized over leniency; and
To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to immediately repeal provisions of the Criminal Code that allow for the continued victimization of law-abiding Manitobans while granting repeat offenders additional rights.
Honourable Speaker, this is signed by Cash Masson, Geraldine Masson and Ahamad Khalil and many more Manitobans.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
Mr. Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, and the background to this petition is as follows:
Mr. Diljeet Brar, Acting Speaker, in the Chair
(1) The provincial government's decision to cancel the Education Property Tax Credit and the property tax offset grant has enabled and encouraged school divisions to introduce massive tax increases.
(2) These massive increases have been felt by all Manitobans and compounded by arbitrary and punitive changes to the education property tax rebate, and those changes have made many Manitobans ineligible to receive the $1,500 rebate.
(3) Secondary property owners are subject to taxation without representation as they are ineligible to vote for trustees who set the rates–[interjection] Excuse me? [interjection]
The Acting Speaker (Diljeet Brar): Order, please.
The member for Lac du Bonnet has the floor.
Mr. Ewasko: (3) Secondary property owners are subject to taxation without representation as they are ineligible to vote for trustees who set the rates; yet, second property owners are still required to pay full education taxes in their division.
(4) Additionally, families can only claim the reduced Education Property Tax Credit on their primary residence.
(5) These increases and the revocation of rebates were done with no consultation, punishing Manitobans who maintain family cabins by tying education taxation to assessed property values.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to remove education funding and taxation from property taxes and find a fair and equitable way to fund education in Manitoba.
This petition is signed by Suzanne Fiola, Jeremy Martin, Bruce Mazur and many, many more fine Manitobans.
Mr. Josh Guenter (Borderland): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
These are the reasons for this petition:
(1) Persons struggling with mental health as their sole condition may access medical assistance in dying unless Parliament intervenes.
(2) Suicidality is often a symptom of mental illness, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians between the age of 10 and 19.
(3) There have been reports of the unsolicited introduction of medical assistance in dying to non-seeking persons, including Canadian veterans, as a solution for their medical and mental health issues.
(4) Legal and medical experts are deeply concerned that permitting Canadians suffering from depression and other mental illnesses to access euthanasia would undermine suicide prevention efforts and risk normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness.
(5) The federal government is bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to advance and protect the life, liberty and security of its citizens.
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(6) Manitobans consider it a priority to ensure that adequate supports are in place for the mental health of all Canadians.
(7) Vulnerable Manitobans must be given suicide prevention counselling instead of suicide assistance; and
(8) The federal government should focus on increasing mental health supports to provinces and improve access to these supports, instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
(1) To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those for whom mental illness is the sole condition; and
(2) To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to protect Canadians struggling with mental illness by facilitating treatment, recovery and medical assistance in living, not death.
This–the petition has been signed by Lisa Sawatzky, Susan Peters, Rachel Hildebrand and many, many Manitobans.
Mrs. Carrie Hiebert (Morden-Winkler): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Over 25,000 vehicles per day cross the Louise Bridge, which has served as a link for vehicular traffic between northeast Winnipeg and the downtown for at least 113 years.
(2) The current structure will undoubtably be declared unsafe in a few years as it has deteriorated extensively, is now functionally 'absolete', and therefore more subject to more frequent unplanned repairs and cannot be widened to accommodate future traffic capacity.
(3) As far back as 2008, the City of Winnipeg has studied where a new replacement bridge should be situated.
(4) After including the bridge replacement in the City's five-year capital budget forecast in 2009, the new bridge became a short-term construction priority in the City's transportation master plan of 2011.
(5) The City capital and budget plans identified replacement of the Louise Bridge on a site just east of the bridge and explore–sorry–expropriated homes there on the south side of Nairn Avenue in anticipation of 2015 start.
(6) In 2014, the new City administration did not make use of available federal infrastructure funds.
(7) The new Louise Bridge Committee began its campaign to demand a new bridge and its surveys confirmed residents wanted a new bridge beside the current bridge, with no–with the old bridge kept open for local traffic.
(8) The City tethered the Louise Bridge replacement issue to its new transportation master plan and eastern corridor project. It recommendation–its recommendations have now identified the location of the new Louise Bridge to be placed just to the west of the current bridge, not to the east originally proposed.
(9) The City expropriation process has begun. The $6.35‑million street upgrade of Nairn Avenue from Watt Street to the 113‑year-old bridge is complete.
(10) The new City administration has delayed the decision on the Louise Bridge for a minimum of one year, and possibly up to 10 years, unless the Province steps in on behalf of the northeast Winnipeg residents and completes the overdue link.
(11) The Premier has a duty to direct the provincial government to provide financial assistance to the City so it can complete this long overdue vital link to northeast Winnipeg and Transcona.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
(1) To urge the Premier to financially assist the City of Winnipeg on building this three‑lane bridge in each direction to maintain this vital link between northeast Winnipeg, Transcona and the downtown.
(2) To urge the provincial government to recommend that the City of Winnipeg keep the old bridge fully open to traffic while the new bridge is under construction.
(3) To urge the provincial government to consider the feasibility of keeping the old bridge open for active transportation in the future.
This petition was signed by Braden [phonetic] Patel, Jitintendra [phonetic] Patel and Ratama [phonetic] Patel and many other Manitobans.
Thank you.
The Acting Speaker (Diljeet Brar): Any further petitions?
The Acting Speaker (Diljeet Brar): We will now resume debate on the motion moved by the honourable Minister of Finance (MLA Sala) to approve in general the budgetary policy of the government and the amendment thereto, standing in the name of the member for Brandon West. He has three minutes remaining.
Mr. Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): This budget proves one thing clearly, and this government is Brandon-blind. Time and time again, the people of Brandon, and, indeed, all of western Manitoba, are treated as an afterthought by this NDP government–unless, of course, there's a by-election, and then it's promises after promises.
And this 2026 budget is no exception to that afterthought. Let's start with health care. Brandon is home to one of the most important regional hospitals in this province. It serves not just the city but a vast rural and agricultural region. Yet in this budget, there's no clear staffing plan and no serious commitment to reduce the wait times or address burnout among front-line workers. People in Brandon aren't asking for special treatment, they're asking for fair treatment, and this budget fails that test.
Let's talk about crime and public safety. Brandon has been dealing with rising crime, addictions challenges and repeat offenders cycling through the system. Local law enforcement and community leaders have been clear in their call. They need support, they need resources and they need action, not just talk. What do they get in this budget? More bureaucracy, more announcements to be ignored, but very little in terms of real, measurable support on the ground. That's not public safety, honourable deputy Speaker, that's public relations. That's damage control for a failed public safety plan.
Now let's talk about affordability. Families in Brandon are feeling the squeeze. Groceries, fuel, housing, all going up. The government likes to talk a big game about helping Manitoba, but when you look at the details, the relief just isn't there. There's no targeted plan for mid-size cities like Brandon, no recognition of the unique economic pressures facing western Manitoba, no vision to support local businesses trying to keep their doors open. This is a budget built for headlines in Winnipeg, not for hard-working families in Brandon and in Westman.
And that brings me to infrastructure. Roads, highways and trade corridors in western Manitoba are critical to our economy. They support agriculture, transportation and economic growth. Yet once again, Brandon and the surrounding region are left waiting: waiting for upgrades, waiting for investment and waiting for a government that even notices them.
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The people of Brandon deserve better. They deserve a government that sees them, that hears them and that invests in their future. Instead, they got a government that is Brandon-blind.
Thank you, honourable deputy Speaker.
Mrs. Rachelle Schott (Kildonan-River East): I'm proud to rise today to speak to Budget 2026, but I want to start not with the numbers or line items, but with the people of Kildonan-River East because everything in this budget starts with them.
Over the past year, I've spent a lot of time at doors, in schools, at community events and in our Henderson office listening: listening to families trying to find child care, listening to seniors trying to stay independent, listening to people who just want a health-care system that works when they need it.
And what I've learned is simple: the more people reach out, the better I can do my job for them. So I often say this to constituents: Help me help you. The more you bring forward your ideas, your concerns, your lived experiences, the better equipped I am to advocate for you at the Cabinet table and in this Legislature. And I can say clearly, many of the things in this budget reflect exactly what I've heard from people in Kildonan-River East.
Let me start with health care, because that is where–what I hear about most. People want care that is timely, accessible and close to home, and we are making real progress. Since 2023, we've hired over 4,000 net-new health-care workers, including more than 300 doctors.
And, honourable Speaker, I'd like to point out that some of those doctors are fleeing the horrific conditions in the United States right now, and we have made sure that they felt welcome and supported to transition here in Manitoba, many of which have started practices in rural Manitoba.
We've added hundreds of fully staffed hospital beds. We now lead the country in access to a family doctor and same-day care. That matters, honourable Speaker, because it means people are getting help closer–sooner and closer to home.
But I'll also say this clearly: We know there is more to be done. And that's why this budget takes practical steps to reduce ER wait times by improving how patients move through the system, adding the right space for the right care and making sure people are seen by the right provider as quickly as possible.
And, just as importantly, we are making it easier for people to navigate the system in the first place. In my community of Kildonan-River East, we've heard loud and clear that people don't always know where to go for care. That's why tools like Medinav matter. It helps people book appointments, find the right clinic and get care without defaulting to the ER or urgent care for everything.
And when combined with expanded primary care, like extended hours at Concordia Hospital, we can make sure emergency rooms are there for truly urgent needs. That's how we fix the system, step by step, doing this work together, grounded in what people are actually experiencing in our communities.
Now, beyond health care, the second thing I hear at the doors is affordability. People aren't talking about economic theory. They're talking about groceries, rent, child care and whether their paycheque stretches far enough.
This budget responds to that, honourable Speaker. We are removing the PST from grocery store food and prenatal vitamins, putting money back in people's pockets immediately. We are increasing tax credits for both homeowners and renters. We are continuing gas tax relief. We are making transit free for kids and youth.
Honourable Speaker, that's a point that I need to repeat: We are making transit free for kids and youth. The day of our budget, our local team went out door knocking and that was something, regardless of how folks vote, has–have–how they had voted historically or intend to in the future, they have said that they are so thrilled that we are making transit free for kids and youth to reduce that barrier and that strain on families.
There are practical steps that make a difference in people's day-to-day lives, but one of the biggest pressures families talk to me about is child care, and this is where I've seen first-hand how powerful listening can be. Families told me they couldn't find spaces, that it was holding them back from working, from building stability. So we acted.
We are expanding child care with new centres and thousands of new spaces, including spaces right here in Kildonan-River East in both the River East and Seven Oaks school divisions. And importantly, we are investing in early childhood educators because these are the folks that support our children every day. These spaces only matter if there are qualified people there to care for our children.
In Kildonan-River East, this means more families will have access to high-quality, safe early learning and child care, and that has a ripple effect, honourable Speaker. More parents can work, more families can build stability, more people can contribute to our local economy. That's what good policy does; it supports families and strengthens communities at the same time.
We're also investing directly in our schools and our kids. In my community of Kildonan-River East, I've had the chance to visit schools in both divisions, like mentioned, Seven Oaks and River East Transcona on both sides of the river, and countless child-care spaces.
And I'll tell you, honourable Speaker, what I hear from the educators, from parents, from students is consistent. They want support, they want resources and they want their schools to succeed. This budget delivers that: more funding, more teachers, more supports.
And, honourable Speaker, programs like the universal school nutrition program–this is helping thousands of children every single day. Because when children are supported, families are supported, and when families are supported, communities are stronger.
I also want to speak about seniors. In Kildonan-River East, I've seen incredible community programs like the Good Neighbours grocery shuttle. It started as a pilot project with our local Kildonan-River East team after responding directly to the–what we were hearing at coffee parties in our seniors' blocks, and now it's helping seniors stay connected, access essentials and maintain independence. That's what community-driven solutions look like, honourable Speaker. And this budget supports that broader goal: investing in home care, senior supports and the services people need to live with dignity.
Finally, this budget is about building an economy that works for people. We're investing in infrastructure, in schools, in hospitals, in roads. We're expanding apprenticeships and creating pathways into good-paying Manitoba jobs for Manitobans, and we're removing barriers like the lack of child care that so many folks have mentioned can prevent their ability to participate in the workforce. Because good jobs don't just happen; they are built through smart investments, strong communities and making sure people have the supports they need to succeed.
Honourable Speaker, what ties all of this together is simple. This budget is grounded in what Manitobans told us in our One Manitoba message. Over 26,000 Manitobans participated in our prebudget consultations. That's 26,000 Manitobans–participated in their consultations that the Minister of Finance (MLA Sala) held all over Manitoba.
In our community of Kildonan-River East, people showed up, they spoke up and they shared their experiences. And when they do that, it makes us better. It helps me be a better advocate for our community. It helps our government make better decisions.
And as I mentioned before, honourable Speaker, to the Kildonan-River East constituents: Help me help you. Keep reaching out, keep sharing your ideas and keep holding us to account. Because when we listen, when we act and when we work together, that's when we accomplish things and that's exactly what Budget 2026 delivers.
Thank you, honourable Speaker.
Before I conclude, I also want to table a document that came from one of my constituents that has been very, very actively participating in the democratic system and is in constant communication with our local team.
Last summer or maybe of a summer before, he made us aware of a number of different forums that were going on and I can't thank him enough for making me aware of that. And then I attended one such event in Niverville and it was through that experience that I was, as mentioned, able to relay first-hand to our team what was going on at that event and some of the things that we saw in that community. And so, I would just like to now read an email that I recently received from him as he's moving and will no longer be a Kildonan-River East constituent.
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So he said: Many thanks, Rachelle. I wish you every success as a representative of the people of North Kildonan. You have served us admirably so far. May your sterling efforts be rewarded when the next election comes around. If I may be so bold, I see you echoing the sentiments of a certain Abraham Lincoln in that you are for the people and not just the party. Stay true to your principles, even in the face of great pressure, which will surely come your way in the course of your duties. Stay connected with your constituents. Whatever happens in your political career, then you will always feel the pulse of those whom you serve and be able to respond to their needs. Very best wishes, Fred.
And as I table this document, I'll make note that I saw the clerks trying to get the Speaker's attention. I apologize for referring to myself by name. I was quoting. I know that that's not possible in this Chamber to refer to a name, so I'll pretend that his email said member of Kildonan-River East instead of my personal name.
And, honourable Speaker, I just want to make it known that the reason I'm tabling that document is to try and just–I don't know how to explain it. Like, this building is–this Chamber is so toxic with the folks from the opposition, the failed PC government, and they have so much time on their hands instead of talking to their own constituents; they post videos online and make up nonsense.
And so the only thing I'm concerned about is not all the trolls online following their social media network or what they yell in my ear all the time that I don't draw to your attention, Speaker, but it is the words of my constituents and remembering that, at the end of the day, I was elected by the folks in Kildonan-River East, and it could be for a very limited amount of time. And I'm acutely aware of that, unlike lots of the folks in opposition because they lost faith in the democratic process and are doing a very poor job of representing their communities.
So thank you to all of the folks in Kildonan-River East for giving me this great privilege to serve you each day. And I will continue to try to do my best to rise up amongst all this chaos.
So thank you.
The Acting Speaker (Diljeet Brar): For record of all members, I wanted to repeat that even if you're quoting from a document, you're not supposed to mention your own name or any other elected member's name in this Chamber.
Thank you.
Ms. Jodie Byram (Agassiz): It is an honour for me to rise in this beautiful space and in this Legislative Building and be the voice for the people of Agassiz. And I want to say thank you to the people of Agassiz who have given me this honour and this privilege to represent them. And like I said, to be their voice, bringing issues that pertain to their communities, their everyday lives, some of those issues that I hear often about being rural crime; child‑care spaces, the lack of that in some of our rural communities; and health care.
And, of course, we're all feeling the impact of a health‑care system that isn't always serving Manitobans, and specifically in my Agassiz area to be the voice for the community where we're having a new hospital built, thanks to our PC government, and the lack of a CT scanner going into that facility. So it's a–it is an honour to be working with the community to advocate and be their voice in getting that piece of important diagnostic tools to the community.
You know, I hear from families as well that require respite help and the supports that they need to help live their lives and provide care for their children. And, of course, something that I know we are all hearing about in all of our communities and across the province and probably more globally is the affordability: affordability for many families and the financial challenges that go along with that in many of our households.
And each year, the provincial budget is–it gives us an opportunity for us here in Manitoba to showcase economic growth. It's an opportunity to see if there's job creation, the economic impact. It's an opportunity to make life a bit better for Manitoba families who are looking for help. And what we saw in this NDP budget, unfortunately, is just another lost opportunity. And this is why I am standing here today, very proud to support the budget amendment that our Progressive Conservative Party have put forward here.
When I read Budget 2026, all I could think about were the families in my riding. Like I had mentioned, I have spent many time–or a lot of time in many of my communities, whether it's senior centres, I Love to Read Month, I go to the classrooms, I do outreach just to check in with families. If I–meeting with municipal councils, I will take the opportunity to meet with businesses, and, again, other organizations in their communities. So I know what the families in Agassiz are feeling and thinking.
And, you know, some of the issues I hear are single moms in Austin and Carberry, the seniors in Treherne and Plumas, thinking about families with the children–families who have children with special needs in Neepawa, Gladstone, again, Treherne, all the communities within Agassiz. These are the families that are looking at their grocery bills, looking at their receipts and the gas receipts every single week and seeing the prices go through the roof. The cost of ground beef, vegetables and other healthy foods continue to rise, and these are–should be food staples in our homes, but the cost of groceries and gasoline, all of which is out of control. These are families that are sitting around the kitchen table, and they're being forced to make some tough choices.
I want to be clear that if families are having to make a choice between healthy food for their children and gas for their vehicle, the government here is failing Manitobans, and we are seeing that happen right before our eyes. Budget 2026 fails Manitoba families. There's no long-term plan for prosperity. There's no plan for economic growth. There are no measures that will be–put substantial money in the pockets of families.
In Manitoba, food inflation rose by 5.9 per cent year over year in December. This is the second highest inflation rate in the entire country, according to Stats Canada. Food bank usage is up, across the province. Many of them–I've toured a couple of those in my constituency: the Salvation Army in Neepawa, the food bank in Gladstone. They are all struggling to keep up with the rising demand, coupled with a slowing–coupled with slowing donations from individuals and other organizations. This highlights the crippling cost of living that we are all facing in Manitoba, and, again, what is the response from this NDP government? Crickets.
The budget fails to help families in a tangible way today. The NDP government refuses to act for Manitobans. Instead they use, again, smoke and mirrors to deflect from the issues at hand.
The PCs, us, on this side of the House, are calling for the government to increase the basic personal amount that is income tax exempt to $30,000 per year. This measure will mean thousands of dollars straight into the pockets of families in Agassiz and every single community in Manitoba.
Progressive Conservatives are also calling on the government to restore the indexation of personal income tax brackets. That would save Manitobans thousands. The NDP had a chance in their budget to make a difference to implement these measures and provide real relief, but instead, they went back to their usual political ways and announced lacklustre measures that do nothing to restore affordability for Manitoba families.
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I want to paint a picture as to what the NDP is actually doing for this Chamber. Let's imagine a single parent going to the grocery store, walking up and down the food aisles. They pick up some fruits, they pick up some vegetables, maybe a pack of ground beef, some cheese and bread, all of which are probably normal staples in any household. The amount of PST they are going to be paying on this today is already zero dollars; the PST is zero.
The measures that were introduced in the NDP budget will have no impact on the price of healthy groceries in Manitoba. That's right: zero dollars saved on a basket of healthy groceries. Manitobans are stating and saying groceries have become a luxury. I get excited over groceries the way I used to get excited over new clothing. How can this NDP government be okay with healthy groceries being a luxury for people in our province?
Under this measure, a family of four might save a few dollars on soda pop, chips and ice cream. That is not real affordability for Manitobans. Real affordability is restoring tax bracket indexation and raising the basic personal amount to $30,000 that will save families up to $3,000. Those are measures that will have an impact on families right across the province. That would put money back in every family household for their discretion and their choice to where they spend it, all of which goes back into the economy here in Manitoba.
Budget 2026 itself says this expanded retail sales tax exemption on food at the grocery store will save Manitoba families up to $100 per year. I invite the government benches to go ask their constituents at grocery stores in their own ridings if they would rather have $100 per year or $3,000 per year, and I'm willing to bet I know the answer in what people would say.
Another measure the NDP claims will improve affordability in Manitoba is free transit for youth. Once again, I will invite the government benches to venture out to my constituency in Agassiz, rural Manitoba, and see what life is like there. Public transit in rural Manitoba is not an option for anyone. People drive to work, and those are the ones that are facing out‑of‑control gasoline prices and diesel prices. This measure will save families in Agassiz zero dollars. Not a penny will be saved for hard‑working families in Neepawa, communities like MacGregor, not even in Carberry, not Austin, not Treherne. This free transit does not hit the homes in rural Manitoba.
When this government gets up and says that it's an affordability budget, I have to get up and ask, for whom? For whom does this really give a significant cost savings to? I don't see it anywhere in this budget that illustrates where everybody can save money. It's not an affordability budget for families in Glenella or even in Sandy Bay. Those families are still falling behind. Those families are still having to make the tough choices between food or fuel every single day of the week.
Not only does Budget 2026 not provide any real affordability measures, it shows that the NDP government do not take it seriously, that half the Manitobans are within $200 a month of not being able to pay their bills. I understand that the government doesn't want to admit that it is their fault that they have to put families in such an impossible position, but they need to address the reality of the situation before it gets even worse, honourable deputy assistant Speaker.
That's why my progressive 'conservadent'–Conservative colleagues and I put forward this amendment to Budget 2026, an amendment that acts on the issues that we all know are all too real for Manitobans.
I want to speak about the disturbing reliance of the provincial government on the federal government. Now, Budget 2026 lays out the fact that 36 per cent of our provincial coffers comes from transfer payments from the federal government. That is more than $9 billion that our economy cannot supply for itself. Not only is this a disturbing figure, it is also a historic one. Manitoba has never been more of a have-not province than what we are right now. And frankly, I don't think that's a surprise given this NDP's record thus far.
Manitobans are starting to learn, and they're looking to see what this means. Progressive Conservatives do not want to rely on handouts and–from Ottawa. We believe in building our Manitoba economy so that job–paying–so that good jobs are plentiful, resulting in more money in the pockets, right here, of Manitobans. Unfortunately, what we have is the NDP government with no concern but for themselves in strengthening the economy. It's easier for them to call their friends in Ottawa and expect to get bailed out over and over and over again.
I want to point out the single mom, the single parent, the single dad that we are advocating for again. They can't rely on someone else to bail them out whenever they don't feel like paying their grocery bill or their phone bill. Now more than ever, the government should show some fiscal responsibility, especially if the NDP government claims that they understand the growing concerns of Manitoba families. This reliance on Ottawa exposes the NDP's government inability to build our economy and Manitobans are worse off because of it.
Our economy here in Manitoba has stagnated. Private capital investment is down, unemployment is up and we are seeing businesses look elsewhere for business opportunities. Affordability is fundamentally linked through productivity and investment, and because the government has treated affordability as a separate issue from economic growth, they've divorced the policy from economic reality. Our skyrocketing debt will reach more than $39 billion this year. This is more than $26,000 per person.
The Speaker in the Chair
Again, that's more than $26,000 per person. The province will be spending more than $2.4 billion just to service the debt. That's more than $1,500 per person that the provincial government will be throwing out the window this year alone. Honourable Speaker, this out-of-control spending needs to stop. This NDP government is simply passing the tax bill on to our children and our grandchildren. The NDP government's strategy for economic growth is to bury our future generations in an endless pile of debt.
This Chamber can debate how big the deficit should be all day long and our PCs has much more to say about that, but I would like to speak about the impacts of the deficit and the debt, Honourable Speaker. I'd like to speak about who feels it most and has the least room to absorb the damage done by this NDP government: seniors on fixed incomes, families with disabilities and Manitobans who are already struggling with the cost of living. To them, affordability is not talk–is not a talking point. Each and every funding decision, every cut for that matter, is deeply affected by all of these Manitobans.
Many Manitobans have received notice that their respite support may be reduced or illimited–or eliminated. The consequence of this will be immediate to many of these families. And many of them have to pay out of pocket, and a significant amount, to get the respite work and the level of care and supervision for their children or their family every single day. Managing this care across two households for some families, if they are separated, adds more complexity to many of these families' issues that are–compounds to the complexity.
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Honourable Speaker, at a time when families are already suffering from an affordability crisis, it is simply unacceptable that the NDP government dumps an even larger financial burden and emotional strain on families. This is the reality that this NDP government seems to be neglecting to realize.
And that is where the different lies. On this side of the Chamber, we are here for families that need us. We believe in a system that supports them when life is difficult, not one that cuts and defunds life-changing and life‑saving care. We believe in protecting respite care. We believe in seniors. We believe in the families who rely on each other.
Manitobans don't deserve cuts. They deserve a government that understands the reality and delivers where it matters, Honourable Speaker. That's why it's important that the Chamber pass our Progressive Conservative amendments to Budget 2026.
However, I do want to make one mention that I was pleased to see the continuation funding of Granny's House in the Budget 2026. This, again, builds on the important investment that our Progressive Conservative Party–'sorrty'–government–started in 2020. Granny's House is an organization providing temporary respite care and services for children so their parents can deal with whatever challenges and stresses they're facing in their daily lives.
Families can't be left to navigate the system the NDP government has broken. Families cannot be left to suffer under the crushing weight of debt and inflation that the NDP government has subjected them to.
Our PC team have put forward amendedments that will ensure that all families in Manitoba are able to thrive. We will ensure that all children have the resources they need to be able to learn, grow and play in a safe and secure environment.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
The Speaker: No further petitions? [interjection]
Oh, sorry. I stepped out for a while and, apparently, I forgot to come back.
MLA Carla Compton (Tuxedo): Honourable Speaker, I rise today in support of Budget 2026. This is a budget grounded in what Manitobans have told us matters most: their health, their affordability, their children and their future. At its core, this budget is about people.
Before I was elected, I worked as a registered nurse. In that role, I saw first-hand the realities of our health‑care system, what it means for patients to need care and how much it matters to them and their families to know that help is there. I also worked alongside a–alongside dedicated professionals who show up every day to provide that care. That experience is something I carry with me in this Chamber, and it continues to shape the work that I do.
And that is why we, on this side of the House, remain firmly committed to rebuilding our health‑care system. We know that there is no quick fix after years of straining, but we are making steady, meaningful progress and Manitobans are beginning to see and feel that change.
Since 2023 we have hired over 4,000 net‑new health‑care workers, including 317 net‑new doctors. We've added 384 fully staffed hospital beds and reopened 143 personal‑care‑home beds, ensuring seniors receive more direct care with dignity.
Today, Manitoba leads the country in access to a family doctor and same‑day care. And that means that people are getting help sooner, closer to home and when they need it.
Honourable Speaker, my experience in nursing has also taught me this: Health care does not begin in a hospital. It begins in our homes, in our communities and in the conditions that people live in every single day. I've cared for patients whose health was not shaped just by illness, but whether or not they could afford food, whether they had stable housing or whether they had the support that they needed. These are not separate issues. They are fundamental to health, and this budget recognizes that.
We are taking real steps to improve emergency care, reduce wait times, creating specialized patient zones and strengthening mental health supports. We are improving how patients move through the system so they receive the right care in the right place at the right time. Because timely access matters, but so does preventing people from reaching crisis in the first place.
Honourable Speaker, this budget takes meaningful action on affordability because income and cost of living directly impact health. We are removing the PST from groceries and prenatal vitamins, helping families put healthy food on their tables. We are increasing supports for homeowners and renters, and investing in those who need it the most. Because when people can meet their basic needs, their health improves.
Housing is health care. When people have a safe, stable place to live, it reduces strain across the system. Food security is health care. When families can afford nutritious food, children learn better and long-term health improves. Early childhood development is health care. By expanding child care, we are giving children a stronger start, and parents the ability to work. Education is health care. By investing in schools and nutrition programs, we are shaping lifelong outcomes.
Honourable Speaker, we are also strengthening the health‑care system itself. We are recruiting and retaining doctors, supporting front‑line workers, modernizing records and ensuring safer workplaces. Because caring for Manitobans also means supporting those who provide that care.
We are investing in seniors, improving home care and ensuring people can age with dignity. We are supporting women's health, new parents and families at every stage of life.
What this budget reflects is a simple truth. If we want better health outcomes, we must invest in the conditions that shape people's lives. That means investing not only in hospitals, but in homes, in education, in affordability and in opportunity. We are also creating good jobs because economic stability is a part of health. Through infrastructure, training and economic development, we are helping Manitobans build stable, meaningful careers. And when people have good jobs, families are stronger and communities are more resilient.
Honourable Speaker, at its heart, this is about people. It is about a patient receiving care without delay. A parent being able to afford groceries, a child arriving at school ready to learn, a worker building a future and a senior living with dignity. As someone who has worked on the front lines, I know how much these investments matter. I know the difference they make, not just in policy but in people's lives.
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That is why I am proud to stand in support of Budget 2026, because when we invest in people, we improve health across our entire province. We build stronger families, we build stronger communities and we build a stronger Manitoba.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
MLA Jeff Bereza (Portage la Prairie): I appreciate the time to speak about the 2026‑27 budget brought forward by this NDP government, and I'm going to be blunt here: This is a budget that fails people from all corners of Manitoba. It fails people of Portage la Prairie, it fails people of Winnipeg, it fails people of Brandon, it fails people from every corner that we live in, fails hard-working farmers who are the backbone of this province. It's disappointing, Honourable Speaker. This budget is disappointing. It is so disappointing.
The NDP has been in power long enough now that they can no longer use excuses, but they continue to, day in and day out. Manitoba can–Manitobans can no longer accept delays, and we can no longer accept their half‑baked promises about a better future when, in reality, they're leaving the people of Manitoba. We don't have to look very far in this budget to see federal transfer reserves make a record 36 per cent of all revenue, or over $9.6 billion. And this government thinks they're doing a good job.
Affordability is a primary concern for Manitobans, and with half of all households within $200 isn't something that's funny, it's not something to talk about, it is absolutely nothing to be proud of, and this government should be ashamed of that.
When we talk–when they talked about reducing the provincial sales tax on groceries, let's be honest here, Honourable Speaker: they reduced the PST on Coca-Cola, chips and baked goods that come packaged. People can't afford that, and let's hope that families are not feeding–or hope that parents aren't feeding their families things like chips and pop, because we need better relief than that. We need to be better for the province of Manitoba, and this NDP budget did not do anything to relieve any of that that's going on.
Let me be clear about Portage la Prairie. I'd like to remind the members opposite that it was the previous PC Conservative government that delivered the hospital there for us, but I also must be clear when it was talked about with the Manitoba jobs agreement.
Just to let everybody know, and for the record here: at the number of man hours that went in so far to the Portage hospital under the current Manitoba jobs agreement, it would have cost another 3 and a half million dollars out of the public's purse for the Manitoba jobs agreement. And I can tell you this, Honourable Speaker. I drove by there every day and there was a lot of Manitoba licence plates that were going in and out of that facility.
The government–the NDP government talked today about the water project for the city of Winnipeg and were clapping because it was going to go under the Manitoba jobs agreement. I ask all Manitobans to ask this NDP government what extra that Manitoba jobs agreement is going to cost that project, because I know we won't get an answer from across. [interjection]
We–you know, I can hear them heckling me, so maybe they're working out the man hours right now at 85 cents per man hour that it's going to cost Manitobans on any project that is put out by this NDP government. It's no wonder MITT is closing down; there's not going be any work here. The municipalities cannot afford this. The municipalities that are doing work, that 85 cents per man-hour is going to go on–right onto the bottom line of every project that is put forward here.
My city of Portage la Prairie is due to do a water treatment and waste water project. I hope they're looking at how much more money it's going to cost because of this Manitoba jobs project–jobs agreement project, that we have heard from all kinds of construction companies across the province of how much this is going to hurt their business. I'm not sure who they're talking to, but they are not talking to Manitobans.
The NDP continues to drop the ball when it comes to delivering the critical services that actually matter to people in the community. And I heard someone over there heckling me about the MRI–and we still don't have an MRI in Portage la Prairie. And for anyone who wants to tell me that this budget addresses health care, I ask them to explain this: Why do residents of Portage la Prairie still need to travel all over the province for basic diagnosis? Why do they have to do that?
We started petitions over–there's been thousands and thousands of signatures on petitions regarding the MRI in Portage la Prairie. We've continued on with that for over nine months. I'd like to address everybody on the other side that in nine months, because the excuse was, we could not–we could not train somebody. Just let me let you know that in six to nine months, you can train an MRI tech. This government had plenty of time to do that thanks to our–thanks to–I take that back.
I want to talk about the mammogram as well, too. So, again, we heard this: The doctors in Portage said to me, we're not getting the MRI. We've been promised a mammogram. Again, where was the mammogram in the budget? No sign of it, no nothing. So, again, people will have to travel. The other thing with the mammogram or an MRI: this actually, for the health-care system, can help reduce waits on the 'kealth'-care system. If you are diagnosing a cancerous tumour with an MRI, and if you catch it soon enough, it's much more treatable than if you wait six months, nine months, a year to have that treated.
So, again, what has this NDP government done? Again, they're punishing–they're punishing–the public of Manitoba because of the great work that this PC government before us has done with hospitals.
The hospital in Portage la Prairie–have–has anyone said how many new beds that's going to add? Because all we hear is: We're adding new beds. Yes, in Portage la Prairie, in Neepawa, in Boundary Trails, in Steinbach, those are all projects that this PC government started before.
I've raised this issue over and over and over again. I've fought for the resources we need to provide better care. We even came up with $5 million that is currently still on the table for an MRI in Portage la Prairie. What does this government continue to say? No. They would rather have people waiting a year or close to a year to get an MRI. Or they would like to do like people that are doing out of Portage la Prairie now, going down to the States, spending $800, spending $1,600. And their doctors are encouraging them to do that because this government will not act. They've been offered $5 million for the MRI. Won't do anything about it.
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We've been working on this for over nine months. They could have had people trained on the MRI, won't do it. I've heard of Red River community college in Portage la Prairie supposedly training more paramedics. Where are they? There's no sign of them. And from what I'm hearing from Red River community college, there's no start. So when? When will this happen?
So, again, to the Manitobans out there, I'm sorry what you've had to put up with with this nonsense budget that we've seen. The NDP has the nerve to talk about improving health care, but this budget fails all Manitobans.
So, again, you know, instead of standing up here and saying what you haven't done, let's offer some solutions here. Solutions are more diagnostic services so that people can get health care at the right time and the right place.
Another solution: early detection, mammogram machines. We pushed and pushed to have the age lowered to 45 years old. And, again, to you, Jenny Borgfjord, thank you. Thank you for all the work that you've done to help get that age lowered to 45 years old.
The NDP have made their priorities crystal clear. They would rather spend millions and millions on a drug injection site, a facility that has received five times the funding of any new recovery programs, than actually address the real issues of addiction and mental health recovery in our communities. We've seen it over and over. I saw it last Thursday. It's what I talked about today in question period: 631 Main St. in Winnipeg.
Red Road Lodge, a lodge that encourages recovery. Right next door to it–I don't mean a few doors down–right next door to it is an open lot where MOPS is providing a place for people to do drug consumption. Right there. And we heard on CJOB yesterday what happened in March to a lady in the 600 block, the same block as the Red Road Lodge and also the same block where there is music pounding out of the area. There's a tent there and you're encouraged, come on in, do your drugs and you're going to get a package. And in that package is condoms. There's a syringe. There's wet naps in there.
But what is also in there too, again to encourage, is a candy. What happens if one of those kids in that area, that was walking around the area on Thursday when I was there, picked up one of those candies and ate that candy, and what if what happened to that kid just like that happened to Harlan Fourre? He was poisoned by fentanyl, again, right next door to a recovery site.
Is that not like putting AA meetings in the liquor stores? Maybe we should start that. We should maybe start putting AA meetings on in liquor stores. Because those people that have found their way to recovery, who want to make a difference, look out their window and what do they see? Music blasting, fires going, everybody having a good time while they're taking their drugs. No sign–no sign–of anyone trying to help those people. If helping people means putting more drugs in somebody's arm, then there is something wrong.
Let's talk about the injection site. This is a disaster for a moment. This is a government that has been obsessed with the idea of managing addictions without offering a path to recovery, a government that would rather open its wallet for a political gimmick than put the necessary resources into long-term rehabilitation services–not just day services, not services from 11 to 7–recovery 24 hours a day. We're talking about Manitobans' hard-earned money being wasted on a drug injection site while funding for addiction recovery is being cut or left behind.
Many people with mental health issues go undiagnosed. More recovery is needed. We also need stiffer sentences for the people that are selling these drugs. We saw it on Thursday; I saw it with my own eyes. Is–they were outside–there was six or seven drug dealers that are working the front of a building that is right next door to the drug injection site. What they did there was they sold the drugs, and I watched–the person that ran that building, she was threatened. She was threatened to be stabbed. She was threatened to be punched. How can you expect these people to operate a business when something like this is going on?
Meanwhile, rural communities like Portage la Prairie are left wondering: Why are we spending more on harm reduction than on getting people off drugs? Again, when we look at the big picture out there when we're talking about health care, why are we not doing something to reduce wait times? Why are we not doing–why are we continuing to plug things up?
Where's the funding for recovery programs? Where's the funding in this budget for long-term rehabilitation services? Why are we allowing drug addiction to be managed in a way that keeps people dependent instead of empowering them to recover?
Instead of investing in long-term health of our citizens, we're throwing money at not even a temporary fix. That doesn't solve the root of the problem. This government has chosen to prioritize ideology over practicality. They would rather pat themselves on the back for being progressive than actually provide the recovery options that Manitobans so much need. These drugs are way more powerful, way more addictive than we have ever seen before. Yet, we let the drug dealers–we take them to jail, let them out, they get caught again, let them out.
As far as I can see, what these people are doing is attempted murder or murder. Was there anything in the budget regarding justice of these people that are killing our Manitobans today and will continue to kill Manitobans as long as we continue to pour money, more money and more money into drug injection sites?
Honourable Speaker, I'm here to tell you that Portage la Prairie is not just a place on the map; it's a community of hard-working people who contribute to this province every single day. And yet, under this NDP government, Portage la Prairie continues to be treated as an afterthought. When it comes to health care, education, infrastructure and agriculture, rural Manitobans are still waiting for the support they need.
And now we're seeing from the federal government–and, again, I'm guessing the provincial government must be supporting it too–is the increased level in the industrial carbon tax. And I've heard people say, well, it's a federal thing.
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Well, you know what? Our job is to stand up–stand up for what's right for Manitobans. And that industrial carbon tax that's going to increase? Your 3 cents that you're going to save on a bottle of pop will not touch what is going on with that. We've seen the price of urea go through the roof because of the tariffs that are continuing, because of the issues in the Middle East that are happening.
I'm running out of time. Thank you–
The Speaker: The honourable member for Kirkfield Park.
Mr. Logan Oxenham (Kirkfield Park): Wow. Thank you so much, Honourable Speaker. Wow, all that doom and gloom is just like–it's too much. I think. Like, the only drugs folks will want to take after hearing that is Prozac. It's pretty depressing what's coming from the opposite side.
I mean, what do you expect when you close ERs and you lay off health-care staff, eh? It's really rich coming from the member from Portage la Prairie talking about, you know, including his community in the budget. And the last few years that I've been elected, myself and a few of my colleagues, we make our way to Portage la Prairie every single year to celebrate their Pride event with their youth and with their kids. So Manitobans understand that when our government says we're going to show up, we show up.
So today, as MLA for Kirkfield Park, I'm really happy to rise on the Budget 2026, and it really is a plan for fixing the disaster that the opposition left us with after we were elected. And we're delivering for families, and that's all families and including families with one parent, two parents, three parents or more, two moms, two dads, trans dads and more. I was a little bit of a Dr. Seuss for you there.
We're leaving no one behind. I'm really proud to say that: that, you know, we take our time, we really think about all of the consequences in decisions that we make around the table here. Honourable Speaker, 4,054 new health-care workers, 384 new beds: that's something that we should be proud and that we should tell folks.
We're not saying that we're perfect. We recognize that there is work to do, but here's the thing: we're doing the work, and folks are seeing that, and I'm really proud of that work.
Kirkfield Park, the beautiful community that I live in, we've seen some relief from some of the moves that our incredible Health Minister has made. Particularly, the extended-hours clinic at the Grace, at the ACCESS centre, has really been very helpful to the folks who are working there. And another thing that I'm very proud of with our budget is our commitment to recruiting health-care workers.
And it was around this time last year, Honourable Speaker, where I got an email, and it was from a doctor in Wisconsin. And she sent me an email saying, hi, I'm a doctor, and this is my practice. This is what's happening in my country, in the United States, right now, it's–the persecution of transgender people and people who are practitioners, medical practitioners, who serve folks who identify as trans or nonbinary, whatever.
So, you know, I could sense just even through the email that this doctor was very nervous and very afraid for their practice. And so they were looking to Manitoba to move to, specifically. They looked at different regions across our beautiful country, and they chose here, they chose Manitoba. And so they asked how I could help and guide them to making that happen.
And Dr. Bath [phonetic]–or Dr. Bathe, I should say, is–happy to report–is working here in Winnipeg, has moved up here. And she's able to practice gender-affirming care without the fear of government coming in and telling her that she can't.
And I had the honour of meeting Dr. Bathe and the first thing we did was we gave each other a big hug. She's very open about her identity. She's a proud trans woman and, you know, she was in tears, Honourable Speaker, and just so grateful. And it made me feel uncomfortable because just the amount of emotion that was coming out of her, and her gratitude to our province and to our country for really standing up for human rights. And I think that's definitely something our province can be a leader on, and we are a leader on, and something that we should boast about and share with folks.
I'm thinking about, like, you know, kids, and I worked with youth in the Manitoba Youth Centre, and one thing we know about kids is that they like to eat food, and if a kid doesn't get food, then they're looking for other things to do. Sometimes they get into trouble. Kids can't focus when they're hungry.
And so I think it's really smart on our part to feed kids and to give them the opportunity to focus, have their minds not thinking about, like, where am I going to get my next meal, but actually focus on the work that they're working towards, you know, and that is becoming good citizens and learning and obtaining an education. And that's what we want for all of our kids. And I'm just so proud that we helped feed 93,000 kids in Manitoba.
And with that, I've heard a lot of stigmatizing language coming from the opposition, and I'm telling you, for these kids, you know, there's no stigma. They just grab a plate, they grab apple, milk, whatever they do, and they eat with their friends. And there's something really special when folks get together and share a meal. And I'm so happy that our children are–you know, especially after coming out of COVID, Honourable Speaker, that we're providing them an opportunity to reconnect face to face again.
And caregivers, too, they can breathe a little easier knowing that we've got their back, adding child-care spaces, and we've given our incredible early childhood educators raises that were long overdue, Honourable Speaker: folks who are raising our children, folks who are teaching our children to be leaders and to show empathy and stuff like that. So I'm super proud that, you know, we're affirming our early childhood educators with a fair wage.
We're also taking the PST off food, and I'm super excited, you know, about exploring free youth–free transit for youth, I mean, breaking down barriers for youth and giving them every opportunity to succeed. I mean, how can you poke holes in that? I mean, I think we all want to have better citizens and folks who contribute to the community, and when you feed people they have that opportunity to contribute, so–as well as rent, you know.
We're taking care of folks, you know, their health, their education. They're worried about putting and maintaining a roof over their head, Honourable Speaker. And, you know, the PCs, they slashed it by 25 per cent. And we all know, we all see the rising price and cost of everything. And when you slash a subsidy that you're expecting, I mean–and you're on a really tight budget, that really can compound a lot of issues like mental health and health issues.
So by providing a little bit more relief for people, we're maybe giving people some of the intangible things, Honourable Speaker, that–you know, like maybe they're a little happier, maybe they have a better sleep at night, things like that because they're not worried about putting a lunch together for their kid the next day. So super proud to be a part of that.
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And before I finish, Honourable Speaker, thank you again for the time. I just wanted to just recognize my friend, Amanda Lathlin, the first First Nations MLA from The Pas-Kameesak. She was really a cool lady that I really enjoyed getting to know, and I just feel like it was such a privilege to call her a friend, to be invited to her community and just to see the joy and the pride that she had showing me and my colleagues around her community. I'll never forget that.
So thank you for the time, and I'll let the next person up to speak.
Thank you.
Mrs. Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods): Honourable Speaker, there's a simple question every Manitoban asks when a budget is tabled: Am I better off? And after going through this budget, the answer for far too many Manitobans is no.
This budget asked family and seniors to pay more and promises them less. It's a budget that takes advantage of inflation instead of protecting people from it. At a time when people are counting every dollar, this government had a choice: they could ease the burden or they could add to it. They chose to add to it.
This budget fails to grasp that Manitobans are living in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. Their heads are in the sand, and more and more people are starting to question the Premier's (Mr. Kinew) judgment. From celebrating with Avi Lewis to blaming geopolitics for his government's failure, to showing increasing arrogance, people are asking what has changed. Power has a way of clouding judgment, and it's becoming clear that this Premier has lost his touch. And every day, Manitobans are paying the price.
Instead of helping families more of their own–have more of their own money, this government is quietly taking more. Through higher tax revenues driven by inflation, they're collecting hundreds of millions from families already stretched to the limit. And they did it while breaking a promise. They said they would not raise taxes, yet they cancelled the indexation of income tax brackets and the basic personal amount.
That means, as wages rise, just to keep up with inflation, Manitobans are pushed into a higher 'trax' bracket and pay more. Not because they're getting ahead, but because the government changed the rules. That is a tax hike, plain and simple.
At the same time, property taxes continue to climb. Education property taxes have skyrocketed with no plan in–to improve outcomes and no long-term relief for homeowners. Homeowners are being squeezed from every direction, and this government offers no relief, only higher bills.
And the consequences are real. Half of Manitobans are now within $200 a month of not being able to pay their bills. That is not a 'stastistic'; that is families cutting back, falling behind and wondering what comes next. Yes, this budget refuses to acknowledge that reality in a meaningful way.
Now this government would have Manitobans believe it's making life more affordable. That is a promise. That is the headline. But when you look past the words and into the details, a very different story emerges. Because for many Manitobans, especially those that live outside of Winnipeg, this so-called PST tax relief on food will never show up. It will not appear on the receipt. It will not ease the burden at the kitchen table. It will exist only as promise made but never delivered.
In rural Manitoba, the local store is not one option among many; it is the option. It is where families buy groceries, fill their tanks and pick up the essentials of daily life. These are small businesses, independent businesses that sell a bit of everything because that is what it takes to survive and to serve their communities: groceries, fuel, supplies, and yes, sometimes tobacco, not because they're doing anything wrong, but because this is how they keep their doors open.
But this policy draws a line, a hard line, and it draws it right through rural Manitoba. Because under this approach, those very stores, the ones communities depend on, are at risk of being excluded entirely, and not because they fail their customers, and not because they charge too much, but because they do not fit a narrow definition designed far from the realities they face, because they not–they do not look like a big chain store.
So what happens? A family in Winnipeg walks into a large retailer and gets the tax bracket–break. A family in a small town walks into the only store they have and they pay the full price. Same groceries, same needs, different outcome. This is not fairness. This is not compassion. This is a government picking winners and losers. And it tells you exactly where this policy came from. It was not written with rural Manitoba in mind. It shows no understanding of how life actually works beyond the city limits. It was written behind a desk in an office where people who assume choice is everywhere and convenience is guaranteed. But rural Manitoba, it is not.
If this government truly believed in affordability, they would not divide Manitobans into categories. They would not reward those who live near the big box stores while leaving everyone else behind. Affordability should not be–depend on your postal code. Tax relief should not come with fine print, and fairness should never be conditional. A government that understands its people lifts everyone up; it does not leave someone behind because they do not fit their model.
And that is why this policy fails, because in the end, a fair policy reaches every family and every community, no matter where they live. This one does not. And Manitobans can see that. Across this province, the same pattern repeats itself. In agriculture, the very people who feed this province and drive our economy are being left behind. Producers are facing rising costs and uncertainty, and this budget offers little to support them to bring food prices down.
In the economy, there is no real plan for growth. No serious strategy to respond to the trade pressures, rising fuel costs or global instability. In public safety, communities are dealing with rising property crime and families are concerned. Yet this budget offers no meaningful plan to address it, no effort to deal with repeat offenders and no push for reforms that keep dangerous individuals off the streets.
In health care, the story is the same: more spending, but no clear improvement. Patients are waiting longer. Families are travelling further. Front-line staff are raising serious safety concerns, including incidents that have led to hospitals being greylisted and three for the first time in Manitoba's history. And what is the response? No decisive action, no clear plan.
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Mental health and addictions are also being neglected. There is no meaningful expansion of services. Not a single Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine clinic has been established since they formed government. And a time when Manitobans need help the most, this government is not delivering. Just one sec.
And then there's the bigger picture. This budget does not balance, not this year, not next year, not anytime; there is no credible plan to get there, no path to reduce the deficit, no strategy to deal with rising debt. And that matters because every dollar spent on interest is a dollar that cannot be used to go towards health care, education or tax relief. Every year this is delayed, the burden grows and every Manitoba will eventually pay the price. This is not responsible, it is not sustainable, and it is not fair to the next generation.
And at its core, the budget shows a government that has lost focus on the basics: affordability, safety and opportunity. Instead of easing the burden, it adds to. Instead of growing the economy, it weakens it. Instead of fixing problems, it spends more without results. Instead of being honest with Manitobans, it hides tax increases and avoids accountability.
Budgets are about choices. This government chose higher taxes over tax relief. They chose spending over better outcomes–more spending over better outcomes. They chose headlines today over results for tomorrow. They chose the quick announcement instead of the hard decisions needed to actually make life more affordable for Manitobans. And Manitobans are ones left paying for it, not just today, but for years to come.
That is why we cannot support this budget without these amendments; because Manitobans deserve better. They deserve a government that helps them get ahead, not one that holds them back, a government that respects their work, protects their paycheque and plans for the future. And for, above all, they deserve a government that keeps its word.
When the government was going around to hear budgets, what they wanted, I expressed in Brandon that we are in a daycare crisis and how daycare crisis affects the economy. When a couple cannot both go to work in this day and age, one has to stay home to watch your child because they can't get into daycare. Now they have less money. Less money means less spending. So we absolutely need–and in my riding, it is a daycare crisis.
Just recently, my son has his three-year-old son going to his 72-year-old mother-in-law. The mother-in-law could not get out of bed one morning; her hip went. They got the ambulance. He had no daycare. His partner had to phone her job as a dental assistant and tell the dentist she can't come to work because she has no one to watch her son now because she has no spots in daycare. What happened? The dentist had to cancel his appointments and all the other staff were let go for the day, so they didn't get a wage. They had to postpone.
In question, this happens every day in everybody's household that's looking for daycare. They can't go to work. They–one partner has to stay home with the child. This is affecting the economy of all. There is no doubt that the Premier (Mr. Kinew) has not risen to the occasion and to the crisis at hand. He was given a tremendous responsibility by the people to deliver and to follow through with the promises.
This budget breaks that trust, and when a government loses the trust of the people, it loses something far more important than a vote in this House: it loses its mandate to lead.
This is where we are today, and it's a time to change the course. We have people that can't go to work because they don't have daycare. We have people waiting in ERs for hours and hours and hours. We've had how many deaths of people waiting? We have a government that would rather throw more money into a drug consumption site than to have treatments for people. We have people living–many Manitobans–within a $200 to pay for their next–$200 left towards bills before their next paycheque, and they delivered nothing in this budget to help.
What they did was they divided it, rural against urban. They've left us out completely in our riding. We have many stores that called me and said we will not be eligible for this, which leads our people to go to the next city, to–and rural Manitoban stores fight every day, with their people leaving to go to the box stores. And this government has given them the lift and the push and, let's go; let's move this.
So it's time we deserve a government that helps everybody in Manitoba get ahead, not one that holds them back, a government that respects their work, protects their paycheque and plans for the future. And, above all, they deserve a government that keeps their word.
There's no doubt that the Premier has not risen to the occasion and to the crisis in hand. He was given the tremendous responsibility by the people to deliver and to follow through with his promises, and this budget breaks that trust.
On behalf of Spruce Woods, I thank them for having me come to–and thank them for all their calls and emails after this budget was given, to show trust that I would advocate for them. And I told them I would stand in this House and speak on their behalf because their voice matters.
Thank you.
MLA Jim Maloway (Elmwood): I'm very pleased to speak to the budget. And I have to say that, you know, the–I've been here a while, and certainly the gloom and doom is always coming from the opposition benches, having–and I've been on both sides of it.
You know, look at the record. You would think that the whole province is coming to an end listening to the opposition in every speech they make. And they were the government just seven years ago and they would be making probably the opposite speech.
* (16:50)
But the reality is that when budgets are put together by the government, there's hearings, there's public hearings. You know, a budget is always as reasonable as you can make it unless there's a political angle to it. And you'll find that over the years, the Conservatives, you know, when it comes to hydro projects–this is a really good example. Duff Roblin built the last Conservative project. Now that was a long, long time ago.
And after that, the Conservatives never built another project at all. It was all Ed Schreyer building one after the other–power projects, Sterling Lyon shutting it all down, and then Howard Pawley–Howard Pawley turning around and building another project.
And so I can see why they're so miserable, because when they look back–you know, in life, you look back to what did I do in the last 10 years? What did I do in the last 20 years? And here, they can look back and say, what did we do in the last 50 years and say: not one hydro project, you know?
So, and you know the members say, yes, well, we're trying to tie down the debts and do things like that. Well, yes, you did. For seven years you were cutting back. You tried to cut back Concordia ER, the other ERs, and at the end of the day–at the end of the day the public didn't like what you were doing, what you were prescribing.
And the reality is, now we are having to restore those cuts that you people made. And, you know, just in my own constituency, just the last couple of weeks, we had an announcement there with Dr. Toor, and we were dealing with a–with spine surgery program, a $2.7‑million advanced surgical technology in Concordia Hospital, and all of us local MLAs were there along with the surgeon, who was going to demonstrate the spine surgery that we were doing.
So, you know–and you see that happening. They're not big projects, but we're doing a bunch of these projects and the public is happy with that. You know, the reality is, the people are looking at the budget and they say, you know, it looks reasonable. They're not overdoing anything. We're not paving streets with gold here. I mean, I'm sure the member for Concordia (Mr. Wiebe) and I would be agreeable if we could pave some of those streets with gold. But we're not doing that. And we–so we're sounding prudent.
When we first got elected, the Premier (Mr. Kinew) brought in the gas tax holiday. That was well received. I was surprised myself. I was a big advocate of the discount for the cameras and the security systems. And, you know something, these projects have worked out very well. The public like what they see, and they're not seeing a government rushing too far one way, too far the other.
And now we're in really difficult times. We look across the country and we see BC–$15‑billion deficit; Alberta, I think it's $13 billion; Saskatchewan's, you know, it's comparable to us or maybe a little worse; I think New Brunswick is not too good, either.
And this economy is a balanced economy, as people know. Like, we used to advertise it every year in our budget as the Manitoba advantage. It was–you know, we had agriculture because certain provinces are too heavy in one area or another. Like, Alberta's too heavy in oil. The price of oil is high, they do well; the price of oil is low, they don't do so well.
But we have an advantage here. So we have the forestry, we have agriculture, we have mining, we have the aerospace industry. And in–of the last large number of years, we've never been in a situation where everything is bad, you know?
But it is disturbing that we're seeing growth rates in the last quarter in the US of, like, plus five. And for Canada, we're seeing, like, zero or, you know, a little bit of minus or very slight tenth of a per cent higher. This is not good.
And so we have to somehow keep cool heads here and get through this upcoming period and get this CUSMA agreement renewed. We have to do that. And right now, you know, we're paying a tariff right now with the States of about, what, 6 per cent? Well, even the worst situation for other countries would be like England, who are sitting at 10–the base at 10 per cent. So looking forward, if something isn't done here, we're going to end up in worse shape next year, right across the country. You know, it's not just going to be Manitoba; it's everywhere else too.
So I–you know, I think the Prime Minister is so far been on the right track trying to develop other sources of trade. But the reality is that, just look at the China agreement where we're bringing 50,000, I think it is, Chinese electrical–electric vehicles into the country. Now, these are great products, you know, BYD and other companies are producing–[interjection] Let's not go with the robots right now.
But anyway, I mean, we can do that; but it's very difficult to negotiate with a president who says when they first–when he first hears about this agreement saying, well, it's great that Carney went there and, you know, showed enough independence to sign an agreement with the Chinese, right?
And that was then, that was two or three weeks ago. Well, today it's all different. Pete Hoekstra is saying, I think today that, oh, my God, we can't have these Chinese cars here in Canada because, you know, if they come across the border, they get sold across the border, they're spying. And, you know, that's what the cars do nowadays. It's true. I mean, we, our–we've got that problem too. Teslas–you know, people were scratching Teslas a few months ago, and people didn't realize there's like eight cameras taking your picture. Like, why in–would you do that? Well, this is the way things are moving.
A number of years ago when I was in the Parliament, we had sudden acceleration problems with Toyota, and I went down to hearings in Washington and found out that the cars even in those days were keeping track of what–of your driving. And so in the–and when you end up in court, you know, you're in trouble, right?
So I introduced a bill in the House of Commons to say that you are the owner of that material, right? Well, that was like 15 years ago. And today it's far worse because all of these new cars all are–got that capability of sending your material up into the system. And that's how these self-driving cars are working right now in Texas and so on, based on the driving that the cars are doing collecting the stuff.
So this–are very difficult. There's difficult negotiations coming. And, unfortunately, in that particular situation, we are going to be in lots of trouble over this whole situation because of that part of it. Not the fact that they can build really good cars at lower prices and stuff like that, right? So we have got ourselves into a–you know, a bit of a problem here, and I'm just hoping for the best and hoping that cooler heads prevail and the people don't–you know, like, as politicians, that we don't do things that are unpredictable–not too many anyway– to try to, like, navigate ourselves into a situation where we've got stability.
And I think it's going to work both ways; I think the Americans have to worry about that too. But we do have to look at expanding our trade routes to other areas. And I think that we've kind of learned some lessons over the last couple of years now that we just cannot accept that things are going to continue they way–where they were in the past.
So, you know, I think the Conservatives have to contain themselves a little bit here and understand that you've got to go along a bit to get along, and that they should keep their eye on the big picture here, right, and not start raising trouble over some, you know, smaller issue that they're unhappy with that particular day. You know, I never heard them making speeches about–some of those speeches that I'm hearing now about drug stuff and whatnot, you know, like–and I'm sure there's an issue there, but I never heard about that from them before, right? You know, it's an issue right now.
And all I'm saying that they should be–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
MLA Maloway: –concentrating more on trying to look at the whole Manitoba economy, the Canadian economy, on how we're going to navigate our way through this problem so that we don't end up in–
The Speaker: Order, please.
When this matter is again before the House, the honourable member will have nine minutes remaining.
The hour being 5 p.m., this House is adjourned and stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
CONTENTS
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
St. Vital Agricultural Society's Annual Fair
Safe Consumption Site Location
Safe Consumption Site Information
North End Sewage Treatment Plant
Community of Morden–Waste Water Capacity
MRI Machine for Portage Regional Health Facility
Opposition to Releasing Repeat Offenders